LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Friday declared several PTl leaders, including former ministers Hammad Azhar, Mian Aslam Iqbal and Murad Saeed, as absconders in two more cases of May 9 riots.

ATC-Ill Judge Arshad Javed passed the order on a request by the respective investigating officers (IOs) seeking to declare the PTl leaders absconders in cases of attack on the PML-N office in Model Town and torching a container near Kalma Chowk.

The IOs stated that the suspects had gone into hiding to avoid arrest and were not cooperating with the investigation. He requested the court to formally declare them absconders.

The judge accepted the request and issued perpetual arrest warrants for the PTl leaders in both cases. Other suspects include Wasiq Qayum, Zubair Khan Niazi and Hamid Raza Gilani. These PTl leaders have already been declared POs in multiple cases of the May 9 violence.

Separately, Judge Javed scheduled Jan 3 for the framing of charges against PTl leaders and workers, including former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in five cases of May 9 riots.

During the hearing, PTl leaders Mr Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry were presented before the court from jail.

PTl social media activist Sanam Javed, who is out on bail, also appeared before the court.

The judge directed that charges would be formally framed against the suspects on the next hearing.

Gulberg and Model Town police stations had registered the cases related to the violence.