The court rulings in the May 9 assaults cases are welcomed by Azma Bokhari.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has termed the recent court verdicts in May 9 attacks cases as a welcome development, stating that it will discourage those who harbor negative intentions for the country.

“These [court] decision will make people think not once, but several times before committing such acts in the future,” she said in a statement.

Bokhari emphasised that inciting people to attack state institutions is intolerable, and any form of terrorism under the guise of a political party must come to an end.

She added that this verdict should spark a societal debate, as the events of May 9 must be seen as the final attempt at using violence for political dominance – an attempt that has now failed. 

A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Thursday sentenced several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders – including Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, and Zartaj Gul – to 10 years in prison over their involvement in cases related to the May 9, 2023, violence.

Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, and Zartaj Gul are among the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders who were sentenced to ten years in prison by a special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Thursday for their roles in crimes pertaining to the May 9, 2023, carnage.

In the May 9 cases, PTI leaders Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz were sentenced to ten years in prison.

108 of the 185 defendants in the case involving the attack on a sensitive institution received sentences from the court, while the remaining defendants were found not guilty.

Sahibzada Hamid Raza, a member of the National Assembly, was also given a ten-year prison term. The shortest penalty the court imposed on Junaid Afzal Sahi was three years in prison.