Anti-terrorism court indicts ex-Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in May 9 violence case
anti-terrorism court here on Monday 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 here 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.
The court had summoned Qureshi to initiate indictment proceedings against him and ordered the prosecution to present witnesses in the next hearing scheduled for July 22.
Qureshi, who was produced before ATC Judge Khalid Arshad, however, denied the charges.
«As Qureshi was presented before the ATC judge, charges were framed against him for his alleged abetment in torching Lahore's Shadman police station. Qureshi pleaded not guilty and maintained that a fake case has been instituted against him for being loyal to Imran Khan,» a court official told Press Trust of India after the hearing.
The indictment of Qureshi, who is also the vice-chairman of PTI, came hours before the Pakistan government announced its decision to ban Khan's PTI for its alleged involvement in anti-state 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.
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