Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other PTI leaders indicted again in Shadman police station attack
Former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, along with other PTI leaders and workers, has been re-indicted in the Shadman police station attack case after new accused were added by the prosecution.
The hearing took place at Kot Lakhpat jail, presided over by Anti-Terrorism Court-1 (ATC) Judge Manzer Ali Gill. The judge framed fresh charges against the accused based on the supplementary challan (charge sheet) filed by the prosecution. All the accused denied the charges.
The judge directed the prosecution to present witnesses on January 16 to record their statements.
Among the PTI leaders re-indicted, besides Qureshi, were Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Punjab chapter president Dr Yasmin Rashid, former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and former provincial minister Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed.
Those out on bail, including PTI social media activists Sanam Javed and Tayyaba Raja, former MNAs Aliya Hamza Malik and Rubina Jamil, and fashion designer Khadija Shah, were also present at the trial.
The judge also issued notices regarding applications filed by the prosecution and defense, challenging the indictments in four cases linked to the May 9 riots, including the burning of police vehicles on Sarwar Road and violence at GOR-I and Shadman police station.
The prosecution argued that the charges against the accused were vague and complex, with multiple offenses combined under a single heading. They warned that any accused could take advantage of this to secure acquittal.
Defense counsel Burhan Moazzam Malik, however, argued that the accused were politically targeted and that no evidence had been presented against them. He requested the court to quash the charges and exonerate the accused.
The judge issued notices for replies by January 16.
In a separate case, the Islamabad ATC reserved its verdict on the post-arrest bail applications of over 200 PTI workers arrested for their involvement in the November 26 protest in the capital. Both the PTI lawyer and prosecutor presented their arguments, with the defense challenging the evidence and the prosecution maintaining that substantial proof was available.
The judge reserved the verdict, which is expected soon.
