Pakistan’s Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court has sentenced 47 PTI leaders and supporters involved in the violence following the arrest of Imran Khan on May 9, 2023, to 10 years in jail. The court has also ordered a fine of Rs 5 lakh on each convict and confiscation of property.
Islamabad/New Delhi. An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, Pakistan has sentenced 47 leaders and supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to 10 years in prison for their involvement in violence during the nationwide protests following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2023. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on all the culprits and ordered confiscation of their properties. This decision is considered to be one of the biggest legal actions so far in the cases related to the unrest in Pakistan after the arrest of Imran Khan.
Court’s decision and allegations proved
This decision was given by District and Sessions Judge Amjad Ali Shah. The court said that the prosecution has proved charges against the accused like arson, vandalism, attack on police and damage to government property. According to the court, huge damage was caused to many public and government assets during these incidents. The court said that on the basis of evidence and witnesses the role of the accused has clearly emerged.
Which PTI leaders were held guilty?
Those convicted include several prominent PTI leaders and activists. These include names like Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz, Shahbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari, Murad Saeed, Zartaj Gul, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Mohammad Ahmed Chattha and Rai Hasan Nawaz. These leaders and supporters were accused of participating in violent activities during the protests and playing a role in damaging government institutions.
Separate case filed for being absent for two years
According to reports, the court found that many of these 47 accused remained absent from legal proceedings for almost two years. For this reason, a separate case was filed against him under the provisions of Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act. This law also allows the court to hear absconding accused.
Orders for arrest of culprits
The court has directed the law enforcement agencies to arrest all the culprits. The court said that whenever these accused are arrested or appear before the court, they should be immediately sent to jail. The court also said that if the absconding convicts surrender before the court within the stipulated time, they will have the right to appeal for retrial.
Violence broke out after the arrest of Imran Khan
This case is related to the protests spread across the country after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on 9 May 2023. Following his arrest, massive demonstrations took place in many cities of Pakistan. The demonstrations turned violent in many places, with protesters targeting government buildings and military bases.
Many locations including army headquarters became targets
Among the places targeted during the violence was the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, which is the headquarters of the Pakistan Army Chief. Apart from this, incidents of vandalism and arson were also reported in many other government and military institutions.
Allegations were made in December 2024
In December 2024, formal charges were framed against a total of 118 people in this case, including Imran Khan and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. In these cases, cases were also registered against many leaders and activists under terrorism related laws.
Imran Khan is already in jail in many cases
Imran Khan’s government was removed from power in April 2022 through a no-confidence motion. After this, he was arrested in May 2023, although he was released after some time. But he was detained again in August of the same year. Since then, he has been lodged in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where several criminal cases are pending against him, including corruption-related charges.