May 9 vandalism: ATC issues non-bailable arrest warrants for PTI chief, others

May 9 vandalism: ATC issues non-bailable arrest warrants for PTI chief, others

Lahore (Web Desk): An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan and other party leaders.

According to details, the ATC also issued non-bailable arrest warrants for PTI leaders Hammad Azhar, Mian Aslam Iqbal and others at the request of the investigating officer.

The cases against the accused were registered in Lahore's Naseerabad and Model Town police stations for setting a container on fire and attacking Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) office in the city.

The former premier is facing several cases including terrorism and corruption following his ouster from the government via a no-trust motion in April 2022.

Many PTI leaders and hundreds of workers were booked under terrorism charges following the violent protests and  riots sparked by the arrest of the former PM in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9.

The PTI supporters allegedly attacked and torched state installations, leaving at least eight dead and dozens others injured during their violent protests.

However, dozens of party leaders and founding members including Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Ismail, Ali Zaidi, Aamir Mehmood Kiani and others parted their ways with the PTI while many blaming the party chief’s policies for the violence.

Separately, An Islamabad district and sessions court on Tuesday dismissed the bail petitions of PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Asad Qaiser in two separate cases related to May 9 vandalism.