Pakistani court jails Punjab opposition leader, PTI workers for 10 years over May 9 riots

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced on Tuesday several opposition workers, including Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, to 10 years in prison each over their alleged role in the May 9, 2023, riots sparked by Imran Khan’s arrest.

The court in Sargodha found the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders guilty of orchestrating violent attacks on public and military installations during the widespread protests that erupted in 2023.

Alongside Bhachar, PTI Central Punjab President and Member of the National Assembly Mohammad Ahmad Chattha, as well as party Secretary General Bilal Ejaz, were also handed decade-long prison terms.

The May 9 unrest marked a major flashpoint in Pakistan’s political crisis. Khan, the founder of the opposition PTI, was arrested on corruption charges, triggering nationwide protests. Demonstrators attacked military installations, set fire to government buildings, and engaged in violent clashes with security forces.

  The image shows Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar (left), alongside a list of individuals sentenced by the Sargodha court today (right).Nukta

The Pakistani government termed the unrest a “coordinated attack on state institutions,” rejecting claims that it was a spontaneous political protest. In the months since, authorities have launched a sweeping crackdown on Khan’s party, detaining or implicating much of its senior leadership.

Bail plea of PTI senior leader rejected

Separately on Tuesday, a Lahore-based anti-terrorism court rejected a post-arrest bail plea from PTI Vice Chairman and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a related case involving arson near Jinnah House - a symbolic site heavily damaged during the protests.

In its two-page written order, Judge Manzar Ali Gul noted that a significant number of prosecution witnesses had already testified, and the remainder would be recorded soon.

The court also cited a directive from the Supreme Court, which ordered lower courts to conclude trials related to the May 9 events within four months -- prompting expedited, day-to-day proceedings in compliance with that timeline.

Imran’s sister slams courts

Aleema Khan, sister of Khan, strongly criticized the court verdicts, describing them as “pre-written orders” allegedly dictated to judges.

Speaking to the media, she claimed that impartial judges were being sidelined, while those with political leanings were facilitating harsh sentences against PTI leaders.

She also questioned the legitimacy of court proceedings held at night and on Sundays, alleging that testimonies were being fabricated -- including from witnesses who weren’t even present.