Rawalpindi: According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), military courts have convicted 25 people involved in attacks on state installations during the May 9, 2023 events.
“The Field General Court Martial has been held. [the] 25 accused were convicted in the first phase,” the army’s media wing said of the suspects who resorted to violence during the May 9 protests.
The protests erupted after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan was detained in a corruption case. As a result, hundreds of PTI activists were arrested and over 100 civilians are facing military trials.
However, the party maintains that it had no role in incidents involving military installations, including the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ), and has demanded a judicial probe into last year’s incidents.
The media wing of the army added that the punishments of the remaining accused are also being announced and will be announced soon when the process is completed.
“All convicts retain the right of appeal and other legal remedies, as guaranteed by law and the Constitution,” the ISPR said in the statement.
Military trials were initially put on hold after the Supreme Court’s ruling. However, the constitution bench had last week directed that the cases pending due to the earlier order be finalized and the verdicts of the accused involved in the violent incidents be announced.
Explaining the attacks, the ISPR said that on May 9, the nation witnessed sad incidents of politically motivated violence and arson at several places, a dark chapter in Pakistan’s history.
The ISPR said politically motivated attacks on armed forces installations, including the desecration of martyrs’ memorials, were carried out based on a sustained narrative of hatred and lies.
“These blatant acts of violence not only shocked the nation but also marked it. [the] This unacceptable attempt of political terrorism to impose its nefarious will through violence and coercion needs to be stopped.”
The statement said that in connection with the events of this ‘Black Day’, through a thorough investigation, legal action will be taken against the accused involved in the tragedy. Indisputable evidence was collected.
It said that some cases were later referred to field general courts-martial in accordance with the law, where they were tried after due process.
‘Major Milestone’
The army’s media wing said the conviction was a “major milestone” in delivering justice to the nation.
It is also a clear reminder to all those who are exploited by vested interests and fall victim to their political propaganda and intoxicating lies, never to take the law into their own hands in future, the statement said.
The media wing of the army said that cases against several accused are also pending in various anti-terrorism courts and their cases are proceeding according to law.
However, it said that justice “will be truly served in full” when the masterminds and planners of the May 9 tragedy are punished in accordance with the constitution and the laws of the land.
“The State of Pakistan will vigorously continue the delivery of justice to ensure the establishment of the inviolable writ of the State, to root out this evil of subversive and destructive politics based on violence based on hatred, divisiveness and baseless propaganda. can be uprooted.”
Who was punished?
- Jan Muhammad Khan son of Toor Khan involved in Jinnah House incident was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Muhammad Imran Mahbub son of Mahbub Ahmed – Involved in Jinnah House incident, 10 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Raja Muhammad Ehsan, son of Raja Muhammad Maqsood, involved in GHQ attack, 10 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Rehmatullah son of Manzoor Khan, involved in Punjab Regimental Center Mardan incident, 10 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Anwar Khan son of Mohammad Khan involved in PAF base Mianwali incident, 10 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Ali Iftikhar son of Iftikhar Ahmed – Involved in Jinnah House incident, 10 years imprisonment with hard labour
- Zia-ur-Rehman son of Azam Khurshid – 10 years imprisonment with hard labor involved in Jinnah House incident
- Adnan Ahmed, son of Sher Muhammad, involved in the Punjab Regimental Center Mardan incident, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor
- Shakirullah, son of Anwar Shah, involved in the Punjab Regimental Center Mardan incident, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor
- Abdul Hadi, son of Abdul Qayyum, involved in the Jinnah House incident, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor
- Ali Shan, son of Noor Muhammad, involved in the Jinnah House incident, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor
- Dawood Khan, son of Shad Khan, involved in the Jinnah House incident, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor
- Umar Farooq son of Muhammad Sabir – 10 years imprisonment with hard labor involved in GHQ attack
- Babar Jamal son of Muhammad Ajmal Khan involved in PAF base Mianwali incident was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Muhammad Afaq Khan, son of M. Ashfaq Khan, involved in the Bannu Kent incident, was sentenced to 9 years in prison with hard labor
- Dawood Khan, son of Amir Zeib, involved in the Chakdara Fort incident, was sentenced to 7 years in prison with hard labor
- Muhammad Hasher Khan son of Tahir Bashir – Involved in Jinnah House incident, 6 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Faheem Haider, son of Farooq Haider, involved in the Jinnah House incident, was sentenced to 6 years in prison with hard labor
- Zahid Khan, son of Muhammad Khan involved in Multan Cantt Check Post incident, 4 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Muhammad Ashiq Khan, son of Naseeb Khan, involved in the Jinnah House incident, was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Yasir Nawaz, son of Amir Nawaz Khan involved in Punjab Regimental Center Mardan incident, 2 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Khurram Shahzad son of Liaqat Ali involved in Multan Cantt Check Post incident, 3 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Muhammad Bilawal son of Manzoor Hussain – Involved in the Jinnah House incident, 2 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Syed Alam son of Muazullah Khan, involved in the Punjab Regimental Center Mardan incident, 2 years imprisonment with hard labor
- Laiq Ahmed son of Manzoor Ahmed involved in ISI Office Faisalabad incident 2 years imprisonment with hard labor
This is a developing story and will be updated with more details.