LAHORE: The Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the May 9 Shadman arson case. The ruling was issued by ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gill during proceedings held at Kot Lakhpat Jail.
The court’s decision came after detailed arguments presented by Qureshi’s legal team, comprising Rana Muddasir Umar and Barrister Taimoor Malik. Qureshi had filed for bail several months ago in connection with the case. Earlier, the same court had also granted bail to former Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema in the same matter.
In a separate development in Islamabad, Judicial Magistrate Shehzad Khan of the District and Sessions Court acquitted multiple senior PTI leaders in cases related to protest and vandalism during the April 26, 2024 demonstrations against alleged election rigging.
Those acquitted include PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Omar Ayub, Ali Bukhari, Shoaib Shaheen, Amir Dogar, Malik Rafiq, and Amir Mughal. The protest had originated outside Shoaib Shaheen’s office and marched toward Karachi Company.
