The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has criticized the 10-year imprisonment of 47 party leaders and supporters in absentia on terrorism charges, denouncing it as a form of “political vendetta.” The sentencing by Judge Amjad Ali Shah of the Anti-Terrorism Court-1 in Rawalpindi was based on violations under Section 21-L of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997, which prohibits hindering justice by evading arrest or investigation, carrying a penalty of five to 10 years in prison. Additionally, the court imposed a fine of PKR 500,000 on each of the accused individuals.
The case stems from the May 9, 2023 riots that erupted following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan, resulting in violent protests where demonstrators breached the General Headquarters (GHQ) and other military sites, leading to casualties and property damage. More than 4000 individuals, including PTI members, were detained in connection with the unrest. The 47 PTI leaders and supporters were charged with terrorism offenses linked to their alleged involvement in the riots, accused of instigating a group of around 300 individuals to attack GHQ gate number 1 and assault military personnel with weapons and incendiary devices.
Out of the 118 individuals initially implicated in the case, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, 29 failed to appear in court post-filing, while 18 were absent during the trial proceedings. A separate trial was ordered for the 47 individuals declared as fugitives, with the possibility of a retrial if they surrender or are apprehended within two months, as per Jurist News. Notably, in December 2024, a Pakistani military court had sentenced 25 civilians for their role in the May 9 riots, despite objections from human rights organizations citing violations of international law.
