Pakistan: Imran Khan's Party Member Found Guilty and Given a Life Sentence for May 9 Riots
In a significant ruling, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Sargodha has sentenced Muhammad Ismail, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) worker, to rigorous life imprisonment for his role in the violent protests that took place on May 9, 2023. This comes as part of a crackdown on those involved in the unrest that followed the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Ismail is not the only one facing the consequences of his actions. Among those named as proclaimed offenders are Punjab opposition leader Ahmad Khan Bhachar, MNAs Ahmad Chatha, and Bilal Ijaz, who have also been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment each by an ATC in Rawalpindi for their alleged roles in the May 9 riots.
The court rulings are seen by some as politically motivated and are expected to be challenged in higher courts. However, the legal consequences are clear: lengthy prison terms for those convicted and the disqualification of PTI lawmakers involved in the unrest from holding public office.
Prosecutors argued that the accused are deliberately evading arrest and ignoring repeated court summons, thereby obstructing the legal proceedings. The court has directed the police to arrest the accused and produce them in court by August 8. The court also warned that legal action would be initiated not only against absconding individuals but also against those who had furnished their bail sureties if the accused fail to appear.
In addition, the court ordered the forfeiture of Ismail's property. The ATC in Sargodha declared 50 others, including senior PTI leaders and sitting lawmakers, as proclaimed offenders. Three separate FIRs were registered accusing hundreds of PTI leaders and workers of rioting, attacking a Pakistan Air Force base, torching public property, and setting fire to court records.
Notably, the court has also summoned the investigating officer with the complete case record. An application seeking cancellation of bail for 68 accused in a related case was heard, and notices were issued to their sureties, with proceedings adjourned until August 5.
Malik Shafqat Abbas Awan, a PTI MNA and counsel for one of the accused, criticized the ruling, calling it a "black spot on the face of the judiciary." The court has also ordered the Mianwali police chief to arrest all 51 fugitives within a month and produce them before the court.
These developments underscore the judiciary's firm stance against those involved in the May 9 riots and related protests. The court rulings serve as a reminder of the importance of upholding the rule of law and maintaining peace and order in society.
War-and-conflicts and politics intersect in the sentencing of PTI workers, including Muhammad Ismail, for their roles in the May 9, 2023, riots. General-news outlets report that crime-and-justice is part of the picture as more individuals are being sentenced and disqualified from holding public office. The court rulings, seen as politically motivated by some, have been ordered to be challenged in higher courts and demand a firm stance against lawbreakers, emphasizing the significance of upholding the rule of law and maintaining peace in society.
