Pakistan’s top court wants May 9 riot cases wrapped up in four months

Pakistan’s top court ordered anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) on Tuesday to complete trials within four months for those accused in the May 9, 2023, riots that erupted after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.

The directive came from a three-judge bench headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice (CJ) Yahya Afridi while hearing appeals related to the cancellation of bail for individuals charged in the violent unrest. The court also directed ATCs to conduct daily hearings and submit biweekly progress reports to respective high courts.

CJ Afridi cited the judiciary’s capacity to handle high-profile cases quickly, referencing the Mashal Khan lynching trial, which concluded in three months.

What happened on May 9, 2023?

May 9 marked a pivotal moment in Pakistan’s political turmoil. Following Khan’s arrest on corruption charges, violent protests broke out across the country. Demonstrators stormed military compounds, set government buildings ablaze, and clashed with security forces.

The government labeled the unrest as a “coordinated attack on state institutions”, rejecting the notion that it was a political demonstration. Authorities have since cracked down on Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, implicating nearly its entire top leadership.

Former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry have been indicted for allegedly inciting violence. Other senior PTI leaders — including Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed, Farrukh Habib, Azam Swati, and Mian Aslam Iqbal — were declared proclaimed offenders by an ATC.

The hearing

During today’s hearing, a lawyer for prominent political activist Khadija Shah urged the court to ensure basic legal protections amid what he called a barrage of overlapping charges against his client. The bench assured due process but emphasized that ongoing speculation should not impede judicial proceedings.

Justice Salahuddin Panhwar dismissed concerns of rights violations as speculative, while CJ Afridi stressed that the law mandates daily hearings in ATC cases.

The counsel for former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, Faisal Chaudhry, also voiced concerns. He argued that it would be impossible to complete trials within four months given that his client faces 35 separate cases.

When the chief justice asked whom he represented, Faisal replied that he was appearing for Fawad Chaudhry. However, the court noted that Fawad’s case was not on the day’s cause list. Faisal then requested the court to schedule a hearing date for his client.

Financial and human cost riots

Meanwhile, the Punjab government submitted a detailed report quantifying the financial and human cost of the May 9 riots. According to the report, the province suffered losses amounting to PKR 197 million across 38 cities.

Lahore was the hardest hit, with damages estimated at PKR 110 million. Other affected cities included Mianwali with PKR 50 million in losses and Rawalpindi with PKR 26 million.

The government identified 35,962 suspects in connection with the violence. As of now, 11,367 individuals have been arrested, while over 24,500 remain at large.

The Supreme Court stressed that multiple FIRs against individual suspects must not become a barrier to their right to a fair and expeditious trial. It underscored the importance of delivering justice without delay while maintaining legal safeguards.