Pakistan Jails Dozens of Imran Khan’s Party Leaders for 10 Years Over May 9 Riots

Pakistani anti-terrorism courts have sentenced dozens of senior members and supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to 10 years in prison for their roles in the violent protests and attacks on military installations on May 9, 2023. Among those sentenced are prominent PTI leaders, including Punjab Assembly opposition leader Malik Ahmed Bhachar and Dr. Yasmin Rashid, while some, like Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were acquitted. The government has hailed the verdicts as a step towards upholding the rule of law, while PTI and its supporters have condemned the sentences as politically motivated and unjust. The crackdown follows a broader campaign against PTI since Khan’s ouster in 2022, intensifying political tensions in the country. The verdicts have sparked heated debate in Pakistan’s political circles and raised concerns about the fairness of the judicial process.