LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Monday charged Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and former foreign minister, in a case related to the burning of a police station during the May 9 violence last year.
Qureshi, 68, was transferred from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to Kot Lakhpat Jail under heavy security. He faces multiple cases stemming from the May 9 violence, including allegations of arson filed at Shadman police station.
The court had summoned the PTI senior leader to begin the process of indictment and ordered the prosecution to present witnesses at the next hearing scheduled for July 22.
Qureshi appeared before ATC Judge Khalid Arshad and entered a plea of not guilty, asserting that the charges against him are fabricated due to his loyalty to Imran Khan, PTI’s leader.
The indictment of Qureshi, who also serves as the vice-chairman of PTI, occurred shortly before the Pakistan government announced its decision to ban PTI for alleged involvement in activities against the state.
The case against Qureshi and others from PTI involves accusations of attacking and setting fire to Lahore’s Shadman police station during the unrest following the arrest of Imran Khan by Rangers on corruption charges.
Apart from this case, Qureshi faces numerous other charges related to the May 9 violence in Lahore alone. He has been incarcerated since he and Imran Khan were sentenced to 10 years in prison for violating the Official Secrets Act by disclosing a diplomatic cable during Khan’s tenure as prime minister.
Despite their acquittal by the Islamabad High Court on June 3 in the Cipher case, their imprisonment continues due to their involvement in multiple cases linked to the May 9 incidents nationwide.
Earlier this year, Qureshi was indicted in eight additional cases related to the May 9 violence. The unrest erupted across Pakistan after Imran Khan’s arrest by the National Accountability Bureau in a corruption case totaling £190 million.
Khan remains in custody, facing a multitude of legal challenges since August last year. Hundreds of PTI members and leaders were detained for their roles in the violence, which included attacks on military installations such as Jinnah House, and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
