Pakistan court sentences 200 Imran Khan supporters to 10 years for involvement in 2023 riots. The opposition has called it political retaliation, further escalating tensions in the country.
Pakistan: Pakistani politics is once again in turmoil. Nearly 200 supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan have been sentenced to 10 years in prison for their alleged role in the 2023 riots. The verdict was delivered by a court in Faisalabad, Punjab province, which convicted 196 people in three separate cases. This move signals new tensions in the country's politics.
Events of May 9, 2023, become the reason for the punishment
The roots of these convictions lie in the events of May 9, 2023, when protests erupted across the country following the arrest of Imran Khan. These demonstrations involved violence, damage to government property, and targeting of military installations. The court delivered the verdicts based on these events.
Members of National Assembly and Senator also convicted
Among those convicted are at least six members of the National Assembly and one senator from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Defense lawyer Changez Kakar said that this is the first time in Pakistan's history that such a large number of political activists have been convicted together.
Questions raised on legal process, appeal being prepared
Lawyer Kakar described the court's decisions as "politically motivated" and said that an appeal would be filed against these decisions soon. He said that the accused were charged with attacking government buildings, military installations, and vehicles, but they were convicted despite a lack of evidence.
Sharp reaction from PTI
PTI Chairman Gauhar Ali Khan condemned the verdict, saying that these sentences are an attempt to suppress political opponents. He claimed that this step was taken to weaken upcoming PTI rallies and demoralize the party. He said that this is an example of the ruling party crushing democracy.
Imran Khan's position
Imran Khan, who was removed from the post of Prime Minister in 2022 through a no-confidence motion, has consistently accused the country's army and current Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif of conspiracy. Khan says that he was removed under a US-backed plan, although these allegations have been repeatedly denied.
