Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi has been transferred from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to Lahore, where he is set to appear before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) concerning the May 9 riots, sources said on Monday.
According to prison sources, Qureshi was moved under tight security in the early hours of the morning to Lahore, where the ATC hearings will take place at Kot Lakhpat Jail. Multiple cases related to the May 9 riots have been lodged against him in Lahore.
Barrister Taimur Malik, Qureshi’s lawyer, confirmed that the judges of the ATC Lahore will conduct the hearings at Kot Lakhpat Jail, and Qureshi is scheduled to appear in court today.
Previously, Qureshi was held in Adiala Jail on multiple charges and was implicated in eight additional cases on May 26 related to the May 9 unrest. Moreover, on January 30, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act sentenced Qureshi to 10 years imprisonment in the cipher case.
The May 9 riots erupted nationwide following the arrest of deposed Prime Minister Imran Khan in the £190 million settlement case. The unrest led to the detention of hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders for their involvement in violent activities and attacks on military installations last year.
During the protests, rioters targeted several civil and military sites, including the Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The military has termed May 9 as “Black Day” and has decided to try the protesters under the Army Act.
