A Faisalabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Thursday sentenced several leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including opposition leaders Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli Faraz, to 10 years’ imprisonment for their involvement in the May 9, 2023 riots.
Of 185 PTI workers accused before the Fasialabad ATC, 108 have been convicted, including Zartaj Gul, Kanwal Shauzab and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Hamid Raza. While the majority are facing 10 years’ imprisonment, PTI MPA Junaid Afzal Sahi has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
MPA Khayal Ahmad Kastro, MNA Zain Qureshi, and former PTI leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain have been acquitted.
Speaking to media after the ruling, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said the party would challenge the decision in the relevant high court. “We will raise the issue with PTI founder Imran Khan on the future course of action regarding whether we should return to Parliament or launch a movement,” he said, maintaining the cases were a form of political victimization and were baseless.
“We do not believe in violence or incitement in politics. Those who have been convicted today do not believe in politics of violence,” he added.
In a posting on X, the PTI also criticized the decision, claiming the leaders of the opposition in the Senate, National Assembly and Punjab Assembly had been unjustly targeted in the May 9 cases. “Let it be clear: disqualifications, detentions, and censorship cannot stop the people’s movement for Haqeeqi Azadi. The nation stands with its elected representatives, the nation stand with Imran Khan,” it said.
The latest ruling follows the convictions of PTI leaders Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry in a separate May 9 case. They have all been sentenced to 10-years’ imprisonment. Additionally, an ATC in Sargodha sentenced Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bachar, MNA Mohammad Ahmed Chattha and several other PTI workers to 10 years’ imprisonment each in a May 9 vandalism case.
PTI Patron-in-Chief Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023 incited violent protests nationwide, with rioters targeting both public properties and military installations. After the riots, thousands of protesters, including party leaders, were arrested before being granted bail.