Anti-terrorism court indicts Shah Mahmood Qureshi in May 9 case

• Qureshi was brought to Kot Lakhpat jail under tight security. 
• Court summons PTI leader to initiate indictment proceedings. 
• Court orders to present witnesses in next hearing on July 22.

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Monday indicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) top leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a May 9 riots case. 

Qureshi, who was brought to Kot Lakhpat jail from Adiala jail under tight security, has several cases related to May 9 including arson filed against him at the Shadman police station. 

The court had summoned the PTI leader to initiate indictment proceedings against him. 

The court has ordered to present witnesses in the next hearing, which is scheduled to take place on July 22. 

The former foreign minister, currently imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on multiple charges, was indicted in eight more cases related to the May 9 unrest earlier this year. 

In addition to those case, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act had handed Qureshi 10 years imprisonment in the cipher case. 

However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in June nullified Qureshi’s conviction in the cipher case registered under the Official Secrets Act.

The May 9 riots were triggered almost across the country after the deposed prime minister Imran Khan's arrest in the £190 million settlement case. Hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders were put behind the bars for their involvement in violence and attacks on military installations last year.

During the protests, the miscreants targeted the civil and military installations including — the Jinnah House and General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The military termed May 9 "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act.