An Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad has convicted 75 PTI leaders and workers in connection with the May 9, 2023 riots. 59 were sentenced to 10 years and 16 to 3 years. 34 people were acquitted.
Pakistan: The troubles are mounting for Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). An Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad has convicted 75 of the party's leaders and workers in connection with the May 9, 2023 riots, sentencing them to imprisonment ranging from 3 to 10 years. This decision has stirred up a storm in Pakistani politics.
The Case of the May 9 Riots
May 9, 2023, proved to be a dark day for Pakistani politics. At that time, following Imran Khan's arrest, his supporters engaged in violent protests across the country. Government and military buildings were attacked in many places. The provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa experienced the most violence. During these protests, the house of Rana Sanaullah, a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the president of Punjab, was also attacked.
Court Decision, 75 People Sentenced
The Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad convicted 75 out of 109 accused. Among them, 59 people were sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment each, while 16 people were sentenced to three years each. The court acquitted 34 accused.
According to the court's decision, the defendants who received a 10-year sentence have already been given the same sentence in the case of the attack on the ISI building. Both sentences will run concurrently.
Which Prominent Leaders Were Convicted?
Several prominent PTI leaders are among those who have been sentenced. These include former Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub; former Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shibli Faraz; former Member of Parliament, Zartaj Gul; Ahmad Chatha; Ashraf Khan Sohna; and Sheikh Rashid Shafiq (nephew of former Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid). All these leaders have been convicted in the case of the attack on Rana Sanaullah's house during the May 9 violence.
Who Received Relief?
The court acquitted former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Zain Qureshi, son of former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, of the charges. The court held that no concrete evidence was found against them.
PTI Called the Decision a Conspiracy
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has bly condemned this decision. The party says that all this is happening under a political conspiracy. PTI leaders say that this decision has been pronounced on the basis of false witnesses and fabricated cases. The party claims that the government and the courts are conspiring together to politically weaken Imran Khan and his supporters.
Why Have Difficulties Increased for Imran Khan?
Imran Khan is already facing several legal cases. The noose is constantly tightening around his party. In recent months, many senior PTI leaders have had to go to jail or have distanced themselves from political activities.
