Military courts sentence 25 accused in May 9 cases

RAWALPINDI: The military courts have sent 25 accused to a maximum of 10 years in imprisonment in cases related to the May 9, 2023, attacks on military installations nationwide, the military’s media wing said in a press release.

Following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan last year on May 9, violent protests and riots broke out across the country where charged mobs vandalised military installations.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement, said that Field General Court Martial has initially promulgated the punishments to 25 accused in light of the Supreme Court decision.

The accused were sentenced after examining all evidence, affording all legal rights to the accused, and completing due process, the ISPR said.

The conviction came a week after the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench conditionally allowed military courts to pronounce reserved verdicts of 85 civilians trialed for their alleged involvement in the May 9 riots.

The military’s media wing further confirmed that the “promulgation of the sentences of remaining accused” is also being done and will be announced shortly as and when the due process is complete.

“All convicts retain the right to appeal and other legal recourses, as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution,” the statement read.

The ISPR asserted that “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

“This is an important milestone in the dispensation of justice to the nation,” the statement read, adding that the state of Pakistan will continue to vigorously pursue justice to ensure the establishment of the inviolable writ of the State.

‘Dark chapter in history’

Describing it as the dark chapter in the history of Pakistan, the military’s media wing said that the nation witnessed tragic incidents of “politically provoked violence and arson” at multiple places on May 9, 2023.

“Building on a sustained narrative of hate and lies, politically orchestrated attacks were carried out on the installations of the Armed Forces including desecration of the monuments of Shuhada [Martyrs],” it read.

The ISPR termed these blatant acts of violence as a shock to the nation, adding that it also underscored the necessity of checking this “unacceptable attempt of political terrorism” to impose its own perverted will through violence and coercion.

Sequel to the events of this ‘Black Day’, through meticulous investigations, irrefutable evidence was collected to legally prosecute the accused involved in the 9th May tragedy.

“Certain cases were subsequently referred for Field General Court Martial as per law, where they underwent trials following due process,” the press release added.

Convictions

As per the ISPR press release, fourteen of the convicted have been sent to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, while others faced shorter terms.

The majority were found guilty of participating in the attack on Jinnah House, with others convicted for vandalism at various military installations including GHQ Rawalpindi, PAF Base Mianwali, Bannu Cantt, Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan, and others.

• Jan Muhammad Khan – 10 years in rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Muhammad Imran Mehboob – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Abdul Hadi – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Ali Shan – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Daud Khan – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Faheem Haider – 6 years rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Muhammad Bilawal – 2 years rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Ali Iftikhar – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Zia ur Rehman – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Muhammad Hashir Khan – 6 years rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Muhammad Ashiq Khan – 4 years rigorous imprisonment (Jinnah House incident)
• Raja Muhammad Ehsan – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (GHQ attack incident)
• Umar Farooq – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (GHQ attack incident)
• Rehmat Ullah – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident)
• Yasir Nawaz – 2 years rigorous imprisonment (Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident)
• Adnan Ahmed – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident)
• Shakir Ullah – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident)
• Said Alam – 2 years rigorous imprisonment (Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident)
• Anwar Khan – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (PAF Base Mianwali incident)
• Babar Jamal – 10 years rigorous imprisonment (PAF Base Mianwali incident)
• Zahid Khan – 4 years rigorous imprisonment (Multan Cantt Check Post incident)
• Khurram Shahzad – 3 years rigorous imprisonment (Multan Cantt Check Post incident)
• Laeeq Ahmed – 2 years rigorous imprisonment (ISI Office Faisalabad incident)
• Muhammad Afaq Khan – 9 years rigorous imprisonment (Bannu Cantt incident)
• Daud Khan – 7 years rigorous imprisonment (Chakdara Fort incident)