An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Sargodha handed down a 25-year prison sentence on Friday to Muhammad Ismail for his involvement in the May 9 attack on the Mianwali Judicial Complex. Judge Muhammad Naeem Sheikh convicted Ismail under case number 349/23 for vandalism and arson during the violent incident.
The court also directed the District Police Officer (DPO) of Mianwali to arrest 51 absconding suspects—including Ahmed Khan Bhachar, Ahmed Chattha, and Bilal Ijaz—within one month. Additionally, non-bailable arrest warrants remain active against PTI senior leader Omar Ayub Khan, who continues to evade authorities.
This verdict follows Thursday’s ruling by the Faisalabad ATC, where Judge Javed Iqbal Sheikh sentenced several PTI leaders and workers—including Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, Senator Shibli Faraz, MNA Zartaj Gul, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza—in three separate May 9 cases. However, the court acquitted 88 individuals, among them Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi, and Khayal Kastro, citing insufficient evidence.
The May 9 attacks—which targeted military installations and government buildings—have led to a nationwide judicial crackdown, with courts delivering verdicts in multiple cases. Authorities remain under pressure to bring all perpetrators to justice, even as political tensions persist. The latest rulings signal that legal proceedings are far from over, with more developments expected in the coming weeks.
