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       Senior PTI leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Ejaz Chaudhry, Dr Yasmin Rashid and Umar Sarfraz Cheema were among 21 formally indicted by a Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday in cases related to the countrywide riots on May 9, 2023, registered at the Racecourse and Sarwar Road police stations.

       Nationwide protests erupted last year after the arrest of PTI founder and former premier Imran Khan in a corruption case. The state then launched a severe crackdown on his party, rounding up thousands of PTI workers and almost the entire top-tier leadership, with many still facing court proceedings under serious charges.

       In December 2023, police implicated Qureshi in at least 12 different cases registered by the district police in connection with the May 9 violence. Dr Rashid was arrested in May 2023, just hours after the Lahore High Court had ordered her release along with 17 other women workers of the party detained under the Maintenance of Public Order. Chaudhry was also re-arrested in May 2023 after the Islamabad High Court had ordered his release.

       Meanwhile, the former Punjab governor was reportedly arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment during a raid at his house in May 2023 and has remained in custody since.

       A total of 21 suspects were formally charged today during the ATC trial at Kot Lakhpat Jail in which Advocate Burhan Muazzam Malik represented the four PTI stalwarts, who all denied the charges.

       The court summoned the case witnesses to testify at the next hearing, which is scheduled for November 25.

       The senior PTI leaders issued a handwritten statement, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, reiterating their loyalty to Imran and condemning the actions of the government.

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       “The government is using underhanded tactics to stop our rally,” Qureshi wrote. “A lockdown has been announced on November 22, 23 and 24 due to smog, however, this is a political lockdown.”

       He urged party supporters to ignore the government’s claims and come out for the PTI’s Islamabad power show on November 24. “We are all united under the leadership of Imran Khan,” he added.

       Dr Rashid wrote that decisions on bail pleas were not made despite the passage of a year and a half.

       “Delays are being taken and excuses are being made,” she wrote. “If there was any evidence, it would have been presented against us.”

       Chaudhry said that despite being a member of the Senate, he was not allowed to attend sessions at parliament. “No hardship has been able to break us and nor will it. The state oppression will end,” he added.

       Meanwhile, Cheema said that the state was misusing anti-terrorism laws.