By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court in Sargodha sentenced three politicians to 10 years in prison each on Tuesday for their roles in violent protests that swept the nation on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The decision has deepened Pakistan’s political divide, pitting Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party against a government that hailed the verdict as a triumph of justice, while the opposition decried it as a judicial overreach.
The convicted politicians, Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bachar, and federal lawmakers Ahmed Chattha and Bilal Ejaz, all PTI members, were linked to the unrest that saw PTI supporters attack military installations and government buildings. Khan’s arrest by paramilitary forces in Islamabad, on charges of corruption that he claims are fabricated, ignited the protests and marked a dramatic escalation in a long-simmering political crisis.
The events of May 9, 2023, unfolded with stunning speed. Khan’s detention triggered nationwide demonstrations, as thousands of PTI loyalists clashed with security forces, ransacking state properties in a rare show of defiance. The government swiftly cracked down, arresting thousands and charging dozens under stringent anti-terrorism laws. High-profile defections from the PTI followed, with some members renouncing the party amid allegations of coercion.
Zulfi Bukhari, a close aide to Khan and a former federal minister, confirmed the sentencing in a statement. “Yes, it’s true,” he said. “The ATC judge announced 10 years sentence for opposition leader Punjab assembly and two others. MNAs Ahmed Chattha and Bilal Ejaz’s names weren’t even in supplementary documents but the judge sentenced them anyway.”
Bachar, posting on X, vowed to stand by Khan despite the sentence. “I will not abandon my support of Imran,” he said. PTI MNA Asad Qaiser, a senior party figure, lambasted the judicial process, alleging that “neither was any transparent or legal procedure followed in the case, nor was any credible witness presented.”
He called the ruling a “biased decision” that violated the “demands of justice” and pledged to challenge it in the high court. The party’s South Punjab wing branded the verdict “outright injustice” and a stain on Pakistan’s institutions. “The truth is that the establishment’s role in this entire process is evident to all, and nothing called justice remains,” it said. “These punishments are not only vengeful actions but also an insult to the country’s democracy, judiciary, and people, and now the people will no longer stay silent!”
The government framed the court decision as a triumph for the rule of law. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik described the sentencing as “a very positive step as justice has been upheld.”
He stressed that the trial had adhered to legal standards, with witnesses testifying and facing cross-examination. “Both sides gave their closing statements, and today the verdict that was announced is according to the constitution and law.”
Malik argued that the ruling sent a clear message. “When you take the law into your own hand, whether you’re an MNA or MPA or opposition leader … the [status] doesn’t matter, as the law is equal for everyone and will come into force.” He accused the PTI of orchestrating the riots with meticulous planning, alleging that over 200 locations were “carefully curated” for attack. The minister expressed confidence that other cases tied to the May 9 unrest would soon reach resolution.
The sentencing marks the latest blow to the PTI, which has faced relentless pressure since Khan ’s arrest. The former prime minister, who was briefly released after the May protests but has been imprisoned again since August 2023 on various charges, remains a polarizing figure. He insists the cases against him are fabricated to sideline him and his party, a claim that resonates with his base but has been dismissed by the government.
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