Pakistan courts sentence Khan's party members to 10 years
The verdicts were issued by anti-terrorism courts in Lahore and Sargodha following convictions tied to violent protests after Khan's arrest last year.
'Punjab Assembly's Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Bhachar has been awarded a 10-year sentence,' said deputy law minister Aqeel Malik. Bhachar, who leads the opposition in Punjab, vowed on social media to continue backing Khan despite the ruling.
A PTI spokesman noted Bhachar was only detained late Tuesday. In Sargodha, a court sentenced a sitting lawmaker, a former parliamentarian, and 32 PTI supporters to 10 years each for attacking government buildings.
Lahore's court separately jailed eight PTI members, including ex-Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema and former minister Yasmin Rashid, for similar charges.
Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was among six acquitted. The cases stem from unrest after Khan's May 2023 arrest, which saw clashes with security forces and attacks on state property.
PTI's London-based spokesman Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari condemned the trials as 'political spectacles... rushed through at breakneck speed,' citing late-night hearings. Khan, jailed since August 2023 on contested corruption charges, remains a potent political force despite a media blackout on his name.
A UN panel previously called Khan's detention legally baseless, suggesting it aimed to bar him from elections.
His enduring popularity challenges Pakistan's ruling coalition, which blocked PTI from power after disputed polls. - AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Pakistan jails more than 100 members of ex-PM Imran Khan's party for 2023 riots
LAHORE: A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Thursday sentenced more than 100 members of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party to prison terms on charges related to riots that targeted military sites in 2023, a court order said. Fifty-eight of the defendants, who included parliamentarians and senior officials, were sentenced to 10 years in prison and the rest were given sentences ranging from one to three years, the court said. The accused include Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli Faraz, the leaders of Khan's opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) in the lower and upper houses of parliament respectively, the court order seen by Reuters read. 'The prosecution has proved its case against the accused without a shadow of doubt,' it said in announcing the sentences. Khan, who has been in prison since 2023 facing charges of corruption, land fraud and disclosure of official secrets, is being tried separately on similar charges related to the riot. The government accuses him and other leaders of inciting the May 9, 2023, protests, during which demonstrators attacked military and government buildings, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. He denies wrongdoing and says all the cases are politically motivated as part of a military-backed crackdown to dismantle his party. The military denies it. Khan's arrest had prompted the countrywide violent protests. Thursday's ruling does not directly affect the incitement case against him in which prosecution is still presenting witnesses. The PTI party said it will challenge the verdict. The ruling is the third such mass conviction this month; Khan's party says they have included at least 14 of its parliamentarians. They will lose their seats in parliament under Pakistani laws, which will shred Khan's opposition party's strength. Another 77 were acquitted for lack of evidence in the latest verdict, which is linked to an attack on the office of an intelligence agency in eastern city of Faisalabad, the court said. The party plans new protests starting on August 5, the second anniversary of Khan's jailing, to demand his release - REUTERS
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Pakistan jails more than 100 members of ex-PM Imran Khan's party for 2023 riots
Firefighters try to douse a bus that caught fire during clashes with the supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad, Pakistan, May 12, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) -A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Thursday sentenced more than 100 members of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party to prison terms on charges related to riots that targeted military sites in 2023, a court order said. Fifty-eight of the defendants, who included parliamentarians and senior officials, were sentenced to 10 years in prison and the rest were given sentences ranging from one to three years, the court said. The accused include Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli Faraz, the leaders of Khan's opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) in the lower and upper houses of parliament respectively, the court order seen by Reuters read. "The prosecution has proved its case against the accused without a shadow of doubt," it said in announcing the sentences. Khan, who has been in prison since 2023 facing charges of corruption, land fraud and disclosure of official secrets, is being tried separately on similar charges related to the riot. The government accuses him and other leaders of inciting the May 9, 2023, protests, during which demonstrators attacked military and government buildings, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. He denies wrongdoing and says all the cases are politically motivated as part of a military-backed crackdown to dismantle his party. The military denies it. Khan's arrest had prompted the countrywide violent protests. Thursday's ruling does not directly affect the incitement case against him in which prosecution is still presenting witnesses. The PTI party said it will challenge the verdict. The ruling is the third such mass conviction this month; Khan's party says they have included at least 14 of its parliamentarians. They will lose their seats in parliament under Pakistani laws, which will shred Khan's opposition party's strength. Another 77 were acquitted for lack of evidence in the latest verdict, which is linked to an attack on the office of an intelligence agency in eastern city of Faisalabad, the court said. The party plans new protests starting on August 5, the second anniversary of Khan's jailing, to demand his release. (Writing by Asif Shahzad; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Daily Express
Eleven Pakistanis held in Semporna immigration raid
Published on: Thursday, July 31, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 31, 2025 By: Azmie Lim Text Size: Some of the detainees. SEMPORNA: The Sabah Immigration Department detained 11 Pakistani men during an enforcement operation in Semporna on Wednesday night. The operation, codenamed Ops Sapu, was conducted from 11pm to 3am by the district's Immigration Enforcement Unit with the support of 12 personnel. Sabah Immigration Director Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said the action followed departmental intelligence and public tip-offs. Of 13 individuals inspected, 11 were arrested under the Immigration Act for lacking valid travel documents or overstaying their permitted duration. All detainees were brought to the Tawau Immigration Depot, and the department reaffirmed its commitment to regular enforcement and urged the public to report suspected undocumented migrants. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
