May 9 Riots Case: PTI Leaders Omar Ayub & Shibli Faraz Get 10-Year Jail Term
FAISALABAD, August 25, 2025:
In a major ruling linked to the May 9, 2023 riots, a Faisalabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has sentenced several prominent PTI leaders, including Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, and Zartaj Gul, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The case was registered over an attack on the residence of former interior minister Rana Sanaullah during the violent protests that erupted after the arrest of ex-prime minister Imran Khan.
📌 The Verdict
According to PTI’s legal team, out of 109 accused persons, the court handed:
10-year sentences to 59 individuals (including top PTI leaders).
3-year jail terms to 16 accused.
Acquittals to 34 individuals.
📌 Key Leaders Convicted
Those convicted include:
Omar Ayub (recently disqualified in another May 9 case)
Shibli Faraz
Zartaj Gul
Muhammad Ahmad Chattha
Sheikh Rashid Shafique (nephew of Sheikh Rashid)
Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Murtaza Iqbal
Former MNA Kanwal Shauzab
Former Punjab MPA Farah Agha
📌 Leaders Acquitted
Among those acquitted were former information minister Fawad Chaudhry and MNA Zain Qureshi (son of PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi). Both had already been cleared in multiple other Faisalabad cases related to the riots.
📌 Reactions from Leaders
After the verdict, Zartaj Gul declared her innocence, insisting she was not present at the alleged planning meeting in Lahore but rather in her constituency, attending community events.
Omar Ayub also rejected the charges, stating:
“I was never present outside Rana Sanaullah’s house. Even ATC Sargodha had earlier dismissed the testimony of these same witnesses.”
With this decision, the total jail time in various cases against Ayub now stands at 40 years.
📌 Broader Context
The May 9 riots saw military installations and government buildings attacked across Pakistan following Imran Khan’s arrest. Thousands of workers and dozens of PTI leaders were detained.
In recent weeks, multiple ATCs across Punjab, including Lahore, Sargodha, and Faisalabad, have handed down lengthy prison terms to PTI leaders such as Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed.
Under Article 63(1)(g) of the Constitution, parliamentarians convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude or corruption face automatic disqualification from their seats.
The ruling adds to the growing list of convictions against PTI’s top leadership, further reshaping Pakistan’s political landscape.