In a sweeping verdict just days before the launch of the 'Free Imran Khan Movement', a Pakistani anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad on Thursday sentenced 166 members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including prominent lawmakers, to 10 years in prison each. The verdict comes in connection with the May 9, 2023 attacks on military installations, including the ISI building in Faisalabad and other sensitive sites across Punjab province, following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.
Key opposition leaders among those convicted
Among those handed down prison terms are high-profile PTI leaders such as:
- Omar Ayub, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly
- Shibli Faraz, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
- Zartaj Gul, former minister and PTI leader
- Sahibzada Hamid Raza, senior PTI member
The convicted group includes six members of the National Assembly, one Punjab Assembly MLA, and one Senator. So far, 14 PTI legislators have been convicted and disqualified across different trials related to the May 9 unrest.
PTI slams verdict, plans to appeal
The PTI, led by interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali, strongly condemned the court’s ruling, calling it a politically motivated attempt to disqualify elected representatives and suppress dissent. Gohar Ali said the party would challenge the verdict in the Lahore High Court, arguing that the convictions are based solely on police testimonies. “The aim is to create vacancies in the National Assembly and Senate and allow the ruling party to fill them with its own people,” he said.
Details of the May 9 unrest
On May 9 last year, PTI supporters went on a rampage following Khan’s arrest, vandalising military and government installations. Key sites attacked included:
- Lahore Corps Commander’s residence (Jinnah House)
- Mianwali Airbase
- ISI building in Faisalabad
- Army General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi — attacked for the first time in history
The Faisalabad ATC convicted 108 out of 185 accused in the ISI building case and acquitted the rest. In another case related to an attack on a police station, 58 individuals were sentenced to 10 years each.
Wider crackdown on PTI ranks
This is not the first round of sentencing tied to the May 9 violence. On July 22, an Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore sentenced seven senior PTI leaders to 10 years in prison over the Sharpao Bridge riots. Khan’s arrest had triggered widespread detentions, with over 10,000 PTI supporters arrested. More than 100 party members, including his nephew Hassan Khan, were handed over to military custody, where special military courts sentenced many to 2–10 years. Hassan Khan is currently serving a 10-year term.
Imran Khan remains behind bars; family joins protest plans
Imran Khan, ousted in April 2022 after a corruption conviction, has remained in prison since August 2023. His sister Aleema Khan recently announced that Khan's sons, Suleman and Kasim, will travel to Pakistan to join the August 5 protest movement.
But their expected arrival has triggered sharp warnings. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari of the PML-N said that any attempt by Khan’s sons to stir unrest will be dealt with “strictly.” She made it clear that the government would not tolerate any “violent protest” by PTI supporters.
(With inputs from PTI)
