Military courts award jail sentences to 25 convicts of May 9 vandalism

The military courts have convicted individuals involved in May 9 vandalism which included attacks on state installations, awarding them heavy jail sentences, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

According to a statement released by ISPR on Saturday, a total of 25 suspects have been pronounced guilty for perpetrating violence during protests against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan's arrest in a graft case on May 9, 2023.

The military courts sentenced 25 civilians to prison terms ranging from two to 10 years for their involvement in violent attacks on military installations during nationwide riots in May 2023.

The ISPR statement said “These blatant acts of violence not only shocked the nation but also underscored necessity of checking this unacceptable attempt of political terrorism to impose own perverted will through violence and coercion.”

The convictions primarily relate to attacks on a number of key military sites including the Jinnah House in Lahore, General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and Pakistan Air Force Base in Mianwali.

The riots, described by ISPR, as a “dark chapter in Pakistan’s history”, involved politically-incited violence, arson, and attacks on significant national landmarks.

Certain cases were subsequently referred for Field General Court Martial as per law, where they underwent trials following due process.

As many as 14 of the convicted individuals received 10-year rigorous imprisonment, while others received sentences of shorter terms. The majority were found guilty of participating in the attack on Jinnah House, with others convicted for incidents at various military installations across the country.

Among those sentenced were: Jan Muhammad Khan and Muhammad Imran Mahboob, who received 10 years of rigorous imprisonment each for their involvement in the attack on Jinnah House in Lahore.

Similarly, Raja Muhammad Ehsan was sentenced to 10 years for his role in the assault on the General Headquarters (GHQ).

The military stated that “politically orchestrated attacks were carried out on the installations of the Armed Forces including desecration of the monuments of Shuhada”.
The ISPR statement said that these sentences mark “an important milestone in dispensation of justice”, and that “promulgation of the sentences of remaining accused is also being done and will be announced shortly as and when the due process is complete”.

The ISPR said "All convicts retain the right to appeal and other legal recourses, as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution."

On December 13 last, the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench had conditionally allowed military courts to pronounce reserved verdicts of 85 civilians who were still in custody for their alleged involvement in last year’s May 9 riots.

A seven-judge bench had heard the case pertaining to the trial of more than 100 civilians for their alleged role in attacks on army installations during the riots that followed Imran Khan’s arrest.

The SC bench specified that the verdicts of the military courts would be subject to its final decision on the appeals against the October 23, 2023 ruling. Passing directives, Justice Aminuddin Khan said, “Suspects who can be accorded concessions in their sentences, should be given so and eleased. “Suspects who cannot be released should be moved to jails once their sentence has been pronounced,” he added.

Following is the list convicts announced by the ISPR on Saturday:

1.    Jan Muhammad Khan son of Toor Khan – 10 years imprisonment (Jinnah House attack)

2.    Muhammad Imran Mehboob son of Mehboob Ahmed – 10 years imprisonment (Jinnah House attack)

3.    Raja Muhammad Ehsan son of Raja Muhammad Maqsood – 10 years imprisonment (GHQ attack)

4.    Rehmatullah son of Manjoor Khan – 10 years imprisonment (Punjab Regimental Center Mardan attack)

5.    Anwar Khan son of Muhammad Khan – 10 years imprisonment (PAF Base Mianwali attack)

6.    Muhammad Afaq Khan son of M. Ashfaq Khan – 9 years imprisonment (Bannu Cantt attack)

7.    Dawood Khan son of Amir Zeb – 7 years imprisonment (Chakdara Qila attack) Faheem

8.    Haider son of Farooq Haider – 6 years imprisonment (Jinnah House attack)

9.    Zahid Khan son of Muhammad Khan – 4 years imprisonment (Multan Cantt check post attack)

10. Yasir Nawaz son of Amir Nawaz Khan – 2 years imprisonment (Punjab Regimental Center Mardan attack)

11. Abdul Hadi son of Abdul Qayyum – 10 years Imprisonment (Jinnah House attack)

12. Ali Shan son of Noor Muhammad – 10 years imprisonment (Jinnah House attack)

13. Dawood Khan son of Shad Khan – 10 years imprisonment (Jinnah House attack)

14. Umar Farooq son of Muhammad Sabir – 10 years imprisonment (GHQ attack)

15. Babar Jamal son of Muhammad Ajmal Khan – 10 years imprisonment (PAF Base Mianwali attack)

16. Muhammad Hasher Khan son of Tahir Bashir – 6 years imprisonment (Jinnah House attack)

17. Muhammad Ashiq Khan son of Naseeb Khan – 4 years imprisonment (Jinnah House attack)

18. Khurram Shahzad son of Liaquat Ali – 3 years imprisonment (Multan Cantt Check Post attack)

19. Muhammad Bilawal son of Manzoor Hussain – 2 years imprisonment r (Jinnah House attack)

20. Syed Alam son of Muazullah Khan – 2 years imprisonment (Punjab Regimental Center Mardan attack)

21. Laiq Ahmed son of Manzoor Ahmed – 2 years imprisonment r(ISI Office Faisalabad attack)

22. Ali Iftikhar son of Iftikhar Ahmed – 10 years in Imprisonment (Jinnah House attack)

23. Ziaur Rehman son of Azam Khurshid – 10 years imprisonment (Jinnah House attack)

24. Adnan Ahmed son of Sher Muhammad – 10 years imprisonment (Punjab Regimental Center Mardan attack)

25. Shakirullah son of Anwar Shah – 10 years imprisonment (Punjab Regimental Center Mardan attack)

The ISPR statement said this is an important milestone in dispensation of justice to the nation. It is also a stark reminder to all those who are exploited by the vested interests and fall prey to their political propaganda and intoxicating lies, to never take law in own hands ever in the future.

“Many accused are also being tried in various anti-terrorist courts and their cases are being pursued as per the law, however, justice would truly be fully served once the mastermind and planners of 9th May tragedy are punished as per the Constitution and laws of the land. State of Pakistan will continue to vigorously pursue dispensation of justice to ensure establishment of inviolable writ of the State, so as to uproot this evil of violence driven disruptive and destructive politics based on hate, divisiveness and baseless propaganda.”

Reporter Ahmad Mansoor