Punjab Police on Wednesday announced they had added sections pertaining to “criminal conspiracy” in charges against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and other suspects over the ongoing probe into the May 9 riots.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Investigation Anoosh Masood said nine additional sections pertaining to treason had been added to the challans registered for cases of violence and unrest against all suspects of the May 9 riots. She claimed there was evidence proving the PTI chief had incited mutiny and planned vandalism.
“Section 120(B) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) has been added to all the cases related to the May 9 incidents,” she said, referring to the clause pertaining to punishment for criminal conspiracy. Additionally, Section 34, pertaining to “acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention” has also been added to the challans, she added.
To a question on how the PTI chief was implicated when he was under arrest at the time of the riots, Masood said his physical presence was irrelevant, as evidence proved he incited the suspects to carry out violent attacks on sensitive installations of the Pakistan Army. She said the prosecution and police were waiting for final reports from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) over evidence against the May 9 planners and attackers.
Once all objections raised by the prosecution are removed, she explained, the challans would be submitted to courts of law.
The May 9 riots were triggered by the arrest of the PTI chief by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case. Spanning three days, the demonstrations saw attacks on various civil and military assets, including the Lahore Corps Commander’s House and the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Thousands of PTI workers and supporters have been arrested in the aftermath, with several facing trials before military courts.