Anti-terrorism court indicts ex-Pak foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in May 9 violence case

Top PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi charged in Lahore for involvement in May 9 violence, facing multiple cases.

An anti-terrorism court in Lahore on July 15 charged top Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a case involving the burning down of a police station during the May 9 violence last year.

Qureshi, 68, who was brought to Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore from Adiala jail in Rawalpindi under tight security, has several cases related to May 9 violence, including arson, filed against him at the Shadman police station, Geo News reported.

The court had summoned Qureshi to initiate indictment proceedings against him and ordered him to present witnesses in the next hearing scheduled for July 22.

This indictment came hours before the Pakistani government announced its decision to ban Khan's PTI for its alleged involvement in anti-national activities.

The Lahore police had registered a case against several leaders and activists of the PTI on the charges of attacking and burning down the Shadman police station during the May 9 riots following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan by the Rangers in an alleged corruption case.

Besides this case, multiple cases related to the May 9 violence have been lodged against Qureshi in Lahore alone.

Qureshi has been in prison since he and Khan, 71, were sentenced by a Pakistani court to 10 years in jail for violating the Official Secrets Act by making a diplomatic cable public when the PTI founder was in power.