Malik Ahmed Bachar sentenced to 10 years in May 9 case

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmed Khan Bachar, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in connection with the May 9 riots case.

ATC Judge Arshad Javed conducted the jail trial at Kot Lakhpat Prison, where final arguments were presented by the prosecution and the defence. The case pertained to inflammatory speeches and arson at Sherpao Bridge during the violent protests on May 9.

After concluding the proceedings, the court delivered a brief verdict, convicting Malik Ahmed Bachar and sentencing him to a decade behind bars under anti-terrorism charges.

The court also ordered 10, 10 years imprisonment to all other workers involved in the case, including MNA Ahmed Chattha.

The court had granted exception to 32 accused in the case, including Ahmed Khan Bachhar, which led to no accused, including Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bachhar, at the time of the verdict.

The court said that Dr Yasmin Rashid’s lawyer will give further arguments at 10 am tomorrow, after which the verdict will be pronounced.

The court completed the trial of 14 accused, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, against which 61 government witnesses recorded the statements.