The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) declared on Tuesday that it would contest all recent convictions pertaining to the May 9 riots, claiming that they were politically motivated and legally faulty.
The announcement was made soon after the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore sentenced a number of PTI politicians, including former Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid and former minister Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, to ten years in prison in connection with the vandalism case at Sherpao Bridge (Pul).
Citing a lack of evidence, the court cleared six defendants, including Hamza Azeem and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Nine other people, including well-known party leaders Ijaz Chaudhry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Khalid Qayyum, Riaz Hussain, Ali Hassan, and Afzal Azeem, were given ten years in prison on terrorism-related charges.
In addition, 32 PTI employees and Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar were given 10-year prison sentences by the Sargodha ATC for their roles in the May 9 protests.
“Unjust and controversial”: PTI attacks the judiciary
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, along with Salman Akram Raja and Babar Awan, spoke at a press conference in Islamabad in a forceful response to the findings. He claimed that the rulings were part of a “new wave of controversial decisions” and that politically delicate matters were being handled without following the proper legal procedures.
Barrister Gohar said, “This country has no shortage of controversial decisions, and that number has only increased today.”
“How can one case be tried in multiple jurisdictions?” he asked, casting doubt on the fairness of the legal system. At every turn, we were denied justice despite our demands for a fair trial.
He added that the rulings against PTI officials, including current politicians, demonstrated the judiciary’s structural problems. He proceeded by saying that trials went on until late at night without following the proper procedures, and that as a result, “people have lost faith in the justice system.”
“This is a national issue, not a political one.”
Salman Akram Raja, the secretary general of the PTI, expressed similar worries, characterizing the situation as a national crisis as opposed to a party grievance.
“This is about justice for all citizens, not just the PTI anymore,” he stated. Cases have frequently been based solely on the claims of a single complainant. The standard of fair justice cannot be met by that.
Mr. Raja cautioned that the public’s trust in democratic institutions may be further damaged if anti-terrorism laws are used against political workers.
“Abuse of anti-terror legislation”
Babar Awan, a legal expert and PTI leader, also blasted the rulings, claiming that the convicts were “innocent” and that the laws against them had been misinterpreted.
According to Mr. Awan, “the Constitution is clear on when terrorism laws can be invoked.” “Not every political gathering qualifies as a terrorist act. This sets a risky precedent.
He further said the party would immediately move the Lahore High Court to challenge all convictions. “Our legal team is prepared. These sentences will not stop PTI’s struggle,” he declared.
