Punjab opposition leader, two federal PTI lawmakers sentenced to 10 years over May 9 riots
The unrest followed the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan by paramilitary forces in Islamabad, which triggered protests in different parts of the country. Demonstrators stormed military installations and government buildings, prompting a sweeping state crackdown.
Thousands of PTI members and supporters were arrested, dozens were charged under anti-terrorism laws and some were tried in military courts. The protests also led to a wave of high-profile defections from the party, as many leaders publicly distanced themselves from the events under apparent pressure.
'Yes, it's true' Zulfi Bukhari, a close aide of Imran Khan and former federal minister, said in a statement. 'The ATC judge announced 10 years sentence for opposition leader Punjab assembly and two others. MNAs Ahmed Chatha and Bilal Ejaz's names weren't even in supplementary documents but the judge sentenced them anyway.'
The development comes as PTI faces mounting pressure across political and judicial fronts. In the Punjab Assembly, tensions have flared in recent weeks, with Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan suspending 26 opposition lawmakers in recent weeks over disorder during the provincial budget speech.
The speaker also suggested some members could face disqualification, citing repeated violations of constitutional decorum.
Khan, the PTI founder and former Pakistan premier, remains imprisoned on a range of charges he says are fabricated. The party's legal standing was further weakened after a Supreme Court ruling last month upheld a decision stripping PTI of its claim to reserved seats for women and minorities, significantly limiting its representation in legislatures.
While the PTI questioned the court's decision, the government said the due process of law was upheld and there was no miscarriage of justice.
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik said the court had listened to all the witnesses and recorded their statements. Subsequently, they were also cross-examined.
'Both sides gave their closing statements and today the verdict that was announced is according to the constitution and law,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Pakistan pushes for UN-OIC cooperation to counter ‘alarming resurgence' of Islamophobia
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday pushed for greater cooperation between the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations (UN) to counter rising extremism and 'alarming resurgence' of Islamophobia worldwide. As the president of the UN Security Council for July, Pakistan chaired a meeting at the multilateral forum to discuss the cooperation between the OIC and the UN. The briefing was titled: 'Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations.' In 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution sponsored by 60 OIC members states, spearheaded by Pakistan, which designated Mar. 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. Speaking at the briefing, Dar noted that the UN-OIC engagement continues to grow, from mediation and political transition to coordinated responses in humanitarian emergency, advocacy on issues of disarmament, development, and protection of religious and cultural heritage. 'Excellencies, nowhere in this cooperation is it more necessary than in encountering the rising tide of extremism, particularly the alarming resurgence of Islamophobia,' Dar said during his address. He added that religious hatred is not only 'morally indefensible,' but also strikes at the very foundation of the UN Charter. The deputy premier noted that the global community's endorsement of Pakistan's initiative to designate 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, followed by the adoption of a resolution leading to the appointment of a UN Special Envoy on Islamophobia, are 'milestones' that reaffirm the OIC and UN's shared resolve. 'There has long been a strong voice on this issue, and we must further institutionalize its role in global efforts to promote respect, inclusion, and interfaith harmony,' Dar said. Presidential statements are formal expressions of the Security Council's consensus but are not legally binding. They require unanimous approval and are often preceded by complex negotiations. Founded in 1969, the OIC includes 57 member states across four continents and serves as a platform for collaboration on political, economic and social issues affecting Muslim communities worldwide.
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Army says major, sepoy killed in counterterror operation in Pakistan's southwest
ISLAMABAD: An army major and a sepoy were killed during an intelligence-based operation in Pakistan's southwestern Mastung district, the military's media wing said on Thursday amid Islamabad's battle against surging militancy. The latest operation took place in Balochistan's Mastung district on July 23 when security forces received reports of the presence of "terrorists" belonging to "Fitna al Hindustan," a term the Pakistani military uses for militants it says are backed by neighbor and archrival India. The military said three militants were killed during its counterterror operation. However, Major Zeeyyad Salim Awal, 31, and Sepoy Nazam Hussain, 22, were killed during the exchange of fire, the military's media wing said. "Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored terrorist found in the area, as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of Indian Sponsored Terrorism from the country," the military said. "And such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve." Pakistan's restive Balochistan province has long been the site of separatist and insurgent violence, and Islamabad has frequently alleged Indian involvement in destabilizing activities there, a charge New Delhi denies. India accuses Pakistan of training and funding militant groups in the part of disputed Kashmir that New Delhi administers. Islamabad denies the allegations and says it only extends diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir. The two countries engaged in the worst fighting between them since 1998 in May this year, pounding each other with drones, fighter jets, missiles and artillery fire before Washington brokered a ceasefire on May 10.
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Central African Republic rebels found guilty of war crimes by ICC
International Criminal Court judges convicted two leaders of a predominantly Christian rebel group in the Central African Republic of multiple counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity on Thursday, sentencing each to more than a decade in prison. Former Central African Republic soccer federation president Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona and Alfred Yekatom, a rebel leader known as Rambo, were found guilty of their involvement in atrocities including murder, torture, and attacking civilians. The court sentenced Ngaïssona to 12 years and Yekatom to 15 years. The charges stem from their roles as senior leaders in a militia known as the anti-Balaka, which engaged in bitter fighting with the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group in 2013 and 2014. The interreligious violence left thousands dead and displaced hundreds of thousands. Mosques, shops, and homes were looted and destroyed. Anti-Balaka forces attacked localities with Muslim civilians, killing and dislocating many of them,' Presiding Judge Bertram Schmitt said, reading out the verdict in The Hague. Malick Karomschi, president of the Muslim Organization for Innovation in the Central African Republic, a nongovernmental organization that supports victims of sexual violence, said that he's glad that justice has been served. 'We feared the worst–that they would be acquitted–so the fact that they were found guilty is already a good thing,' Karomschi told The Associated Press. The pair maintained their innocence during the trial, which opened in 2021. It was the first case at the global court to focus on the violence that erupted after the Seleka seized power in the Central African Republic in 2013. The country has been mired in conflict since rebels forced then President Francois Bozize from office. Anti-Balaka militias fought back, also targeting civilians and sending most of the Muslim residents of the capital Bangui fleeing in fear. The trial of an alleged Seleka commander, Mahamat Said Abdel Kani, is ongoing. Last year, judges at the court unsealed another arrest warrant in the investigation. According to prosecutors, Edmond Beina commanded a group of about 100–400 anti-Balaka fighters responsible for murdering Muslims in early 2014. Separate proceedings against Beina and five others at a specially-created court are slated to begin in the Central African Republic on Friday.
