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May 9 riots: Court acquits at least 30 from ex-PM Imran Khan’s party in Pakistan

Former provincial ministers Kamran Bangash and Taimur Saleem Jhagra were among those acquitted due to lack of evidence

May 9 riots: Court acquits at least 30 from ex-PM Imran Khan’s party in Pakistan

In this photo, taken on May 10, 2023, supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan clash with policemen during a protest against the arrest of their leader, in Islamabad.

AFP

At least 30 individuals, including leaders, belonging to Pakistan's opposition party the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were acquitted by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Peshawar in a case involving vandalism and damage to public property during May 9, 2023 riots.

Following the brief arrest of PTI founder and former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on the day, numerous PTI supporters were detained and charged under anti-terrorism laws across various cities. This crackdown came after riots erupted, leading to attacks on military installations in several locations.

The court acquitted all citing lack of evidence.

Those cleared today included provincial minister Meena Khan Afridi and former provincial ministers and leaders Arif Yusuf, Kamran Bangash, Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Arbab Sher Ali, and Irfan Saleem.

The case was registered at Khan Raziq Shaheed Police Station in Peshawar.

Responding to the verdict, Yusuf stated, “This is a victory for truth and justice.” He further added, “Our protest was peaceful, and those who labeled us as terrorists have been proven wrong today.”

May 9 riots

Over 9,096 people were arrested nationwide in connection with May 9, 2023 rioting, in what became one of the largest-scale crackdowns in recent years.

In the aftermath of the attacks on military installations across Pakistan, the government proposed reactivating military courts to try civilians accused of participating in these incidents.

Later, the cases of 102 defendants allegedly involved in attacks on military installations were transferred from anti-terrorism courts to military courts.

This decision was met with widespread criticism from both local and international human rights organizations.

The United Nations and the International Commission of Jurists have expressed concerns about the lack of transparency in military courts, highlighting potential human rights violations and the absence of standard legal due process.

A six-member Supreme Court bench, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, reviewed intra-court appeals concerning a ruling made on October 23, which invalidated military trials for civilians. This case involved 103 civilians accused of attacking military installations during May 9 riots.

A prior five-member Supreme Court decision had ruled that military trials of civilians were unconstitutional, mandating that such cases be heard in criminal courts instead. On December 13, the Supreme Court conditionally suspended its October ruling pending a final judgment.

Appeals were filed by the caretaker federal government and the provincial governments of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab, while Sindh did not participate in the appeals. The defense ministry also sought to suspend the October ruling.

Various lawyers, including Faisal Siddiqui and Aitzaz Ahsan, represented clients challenging the military trials, with the Attorney General for Pakistan and the KP Additional Advocate General present during the hearings. Additionally, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government requested to withdraw its appeal against the October verdict.

On Oct 23 last year, a five-member SC bench declared the military trials of civilians arrested in the wake of violent protests in the country on May 9 to be “null and void.”

Justice Ijazul Ahsan had headed the bench comprising Justices Munib Akhtar, Yahya Afridi, Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Ayesha A. Malik.

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