In a significant escalation of Pakistan’s ongoing political crackdown, an anti-terrorism court on Thursday sentenced more than 100 members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party—led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan—for their involvement in violent protests that rocked the country in May 2023.
Harsh Sentences for Senior Party Figures
According to the court order reviewed by Reuters, 58 of those convicted—including prominent lawmakers Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli Faraz, who lead the party in Pakistan’s lower and upper houses of parliament—received 10-year prison terms. The remaining defendants were given sentences ranging from one to three years.
The court declared that the prosecution had “proved its case beyond a shadow of doubt,” citing the attack on a key intelligence agency building in Faisalabad as one of the focal points of the verdict. However, 77 other individuals were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
The Fallout of May 9
The verdict stems from the May 9, 2023, riots that erupted following Imran Khan’s dramatic arrest. Demonstrators, many of them PTI supporters, stormed military and government installations—including the powerful army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi—in an unprecedented show of defiance against the military establishment.
Authorities accuse Khan and senior party leaders of orchestrating the unrest. While Khan denies all charges, he continues to face separate trials linked to the same events. He’s also embroiled in other legal battles, including cases related to corruption, land deals, and leaking state secrets.
Political Consequences for PTI
The convictions represent the third mass sentencing against PTI members this month alone. At least 14 sitting lawmakers are among those convicted, which means they will now lose their parliamentary seats under Pakistani law—further hollowing out the party’s presence in the legislature.
PTI, which has described the court proceedings as a politically motivated assault backed by the military, said it plans to appeal the verdict. It also announced fresh protests scheduled for August 5, marking the second anniversary of Khan’s imprisonment, as part of its ongoing campaign to demand his release.
A Deepening Political Crisis
The ruling adds another layer to Pakistan’s deepening political crisis. While the military continues to deny any role in the crackdown, critics argue the judiciary is increasingly being used to sideline Khan’s movement—a party that just a few years ago was at the height of political power.
With Imran Khan still behind bars and his party under sustained pressure, the future of Pakistan’s opposition landscape remains uncertain—though PTI appears determined to keep fighting both in the courts and on the streets.
