Pakistan court sentences lawmaker from Khan’s party to 15 years over May 9 riots

A court in Islamabad on Friday sentenced a sitting member of Pakistan's parliament to 15 years in prison for his role in a violent attack on a police station during the May 9, 2023, riots.

Abdul Latif Chitrali, a lawmaker from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, is the first elected official to be convicted over the nationwide unrest that followed the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.

What happened on May 9, 2023?

Political unrest erupted across Pakistan after Imran Khan, then chairman of PTI and a former prime minister, was arrested by law enforcement from the Islamabad High Court premises in a corruption case.

His detention sparked widespread protests, during which PTI supporters clashed with police, vandalized public property, and stormed military facilities—including the Corps Commander’s residence in Lahore.

Hundreds of party workers and several senior PTI leaders were arrested in the aftermath, many of whom remain behind bars or are still facing trial.

Chitrali, who represents NA-1 (Chitral), is one of around 60 PTI legislators named in cases related to the unrest. The Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad found him and ten co-defendants guilty of attacking the Ramna Police Station during the protests. The court determined that the group fired shots, pelted stones, assaulted police officers, and set fire to motorcycles and government property.

The hearing

Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra presided over the case and delivered a collective sentence of 15 years and 4 months for the group, along with multiple fines.

Four of the accused were taken into custody on the spot, while arrest warrants were issued for those who failed to appear. The judgment was based on testimony from 24 eyewitnesses and identification parades conducted by magistrates.

In his ruling, Judge Sipra said peace and justice must be pursued through lawful means. “This is Islamabad—not a remote area of Balochistan or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said. “Even if such actions occur there, they are still wrong. But when they happen here, the country becomes unlivable. Your goals may be right, but your method was wrong.”

Chitrali received multiple sentences: five years for attempted murder of police officers (with a fine of PKR 50,000), four years each for two counts of arson (with fines of PKR 40,000 each), three months for obstructing police work, one month for violating Section 144 on unlawful gatherings, two years for unlawful assembly, and ten years for a terrorism-related offense, along with a PKR 200,000 fine.

Chitrali to be disqualified as MNA

As a result of the conviction, Chitrali will be disqualified from holding public office.

His National Assembly seat has been declared vacant, and the Election Commission of Pakistan is expected to announce a by-election in the coming weeks.