In letter to CJP, jailed PTI leaders seek early hearing of appeals pending before LHC ‘for last 8 months’

LAHORE: Several jailed PTI leaders have written to Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, seeking the early hearing of appeals against their convictions in a May 9 riots case, it emerged on Monday. On July 22, 2025, a Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) sentenced Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed and others to 10 years in prison in a case related to violence on Sherpao Bridge. In the letter — a copy of which is available with Dawn — Rashid, Cheema, Rasheed and Chaudhry contended that despite being “law-abiding citizens of Pakistan”, their constitutional rights had been “trampled” upon as they continued to suffer “political victimisation”. “We have been languishing in jail for the last 34 months,” the letter stated. Recalling the July 2025 sentences, the leaders said they had submitted appeals against their convictions before the Lahore High Court (LHC) since their sentencing. “[However,] for the last eight months, our appeals and suspensions have not been heard.” The leaders recalled that their lawyer had “submitted a petition three months back for an early hearing, but to no avail”. “Our families have been running from pillar to post without any response,” the letter read. The incarcerated leaders stressed that “justice delayed was justice denied”, appealing to the CJP to issue instructions to the LHC for hearing the appeals “as soon as possible”. “We are appealing to you for our constitutional rights,” the leaders said, addressing CJP Afridi. “Sir, as you expedited the court regarding our trial and early disposal, please expedite our appeals and suspension order also,” the letter concluded. The state had launched a crackdown against PTI founder Imran and his party in the wake of the May 9 riots in 2023, filing several other cases against them. In the case of these jailed politicians, Sarwar Road police had registered a case against PTI leaders and workers on charges of ransacking and burning public property at Sherpao Bridge in the Cantonment area during the protests.