ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Thursday strongly criticized the recent anti-terrorism court verdicts against top opposition leaders in the May 9 violence cases and announced that his party would challenge the rulings in higher courts.
Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Gohar condemned the ongoing legal proceedings, claiming that some hearings were being conducted late into the night — even continuing till 2am — which, he argued, raised serious questions about due process. He urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi to take immediate notice of the alleged irregularities.
The criticism came hours after a special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad handed 10-year jail sentences to several PTI leaders, including National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, Senate Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz, and PTI parliamentary leader Zartaj Gul. The verdict relates to a case registered over the May 9, 2023, attacks on the Civil Lines Police Station.
Gohar asserted that the judiciary is perceived as the last hope for justice, but current events have left the public disillusioned. He reaffirmed PTI’s intention to take the matter to the superior judiciary and called on all institutions to protect democracy and uphold the rule of law. He also criticized the Election Commission of Pakistan for disqualifying elected representatives, accusing it of taking arbitrary actions.
In the same verdict, 108 of the 185 accused individuals were convicted, including Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) leader and MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza, who was also sentenced to 10 years. However, some key figures such as former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi, and Khayal Kastro were acquitted.
These rulings follow similar sentences awarded to senior PTI figures Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed. Other convicted leaders include former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, and Afzal Azeem Pahat.
Earlier, an anti-terrorism court in Sargodha sentenced Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bachar and MNA Mohammad Ahmed Chattha, among others, to 10 years in prison in a separate May 9 vandalism case.
The recent wave of convictions poses significant legal challenges for the PTI, which launched an anti-government movement last week. The campaign is expected to culminate on August 5, in line with directives issued by jailed PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.
The May 9 incidents refer to a series of violent protests that erupted after Khan’s arrest from the Islamabad High Court premises in a corruption case. Demonstrators targeted public and military properties across Pakistan, including the Corps Commander House in Lahore.
While many PTI workers and leaders arrested in the aftermath were released on bail, several still remain incarcerated. Imran Khan, removed from office through a no-confidence vote in April 2022, has been imprisoned since August 2023 and faces multiple charges ranging from graft to terrorism.
