Verdict Clears PTI Leaders of Election Protest Charges

Judicial Magistrate Yasir Mahmood announced the reserved verdict, clearing Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Sheikh Rasheed, Shehryar Afridi, Faisal Javed, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Ali Nawaz Awan, Asad Qaiser, and others of all charges.

The acquittal came after the defence, represented by Advocate Sardar Masroof and Ansar Kiani, presented their arguments on behalf of accused Imran Khan, Sheikh Rasheed, and others.

The case was originally filed following a protest against the Election Commission Pakistan’s (ECP) decision involving PTI leaders, including Imran, Qureshi, and Rasheed.

On July 1, at least 140 workers of PTI were acquitted in a case related to holding a rally before the general elections.

The case was heard by Judicial Magistrate Salman Nadir who issued a two-page written verdict, clearing all the accused of the charges.

The court order detailed that a case had been registered against PTI leader Irfan Saleem, other known individuals, and 130 unidentified persons. The incident in question occurred on January 1, 2024, when PTI workers organized a rally on Ring Road, leading to a case being filed by the local police station’s SHO.

The court found that the accused were neither arrested at the scene nor was any incriminating material recovered from them. Furthermore, there were no complaints from residents regarding road blockades.