ATC sentences 20 for admitting guilt in May 9 riots
Pakistan
They admitted to have acted out of misguidance, and expressed deep remorse for their actions
RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) - An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi sentenced 20 individuals to six months of rigorous imprisonment and Rs. 50,000 fine each after they confessed to their involvement in the May 9 riots.
ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah heard the case, during which the prosecutor informed the court that the accused had orchestrated a coordinated attack on the Tarnol Railway Station in Islamabad following the arrest of the PTI founder, Imran Khan. The attackers set fire to the station’s building, windows, doors, computers, and official records, causing extensive damage.
According to the prosecution, all 20 accused confessed to their crimes under Section 164 during trial and had been out on bail for the past two years. In their statements, they admitted to being incited by PTI leadership, acted out of misguidance, and expressed deep remorse for their actions.
They pleaded for leniency in sentence, stating that they were poor laborers who regretted taking the law into their own hands. They also said that over the past two years, no financial or legal support was provided by the PTI leadership, leaving them feeling abandoned and regretful.
Taking their pleas and remorse into account, the court awarded reduced sentences. The convicts were ordered to be immediately taken into custody and transferred to Adiala Jail, with the jail superintendent instructed to ensure prompt enforcement of the sentence.
