Naveed Ahmad Khan
Islamabad: Sentences have been handed down to those involved in the events of May 9, 2023, the military’s media wing said on Saturday, a week after the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench 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.
“On 9 May 2023, the nation witnessed tragic incidents of politically provoked violence and arson at multiple places, marking a dark chapter in the history of Pakistan. 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,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement on Saturday.
It added that such acts of violence “not only shocked the nation but also underscored the necessity of checking this unacceptable attempt of political terrorism” to impose perverted will through violence and coercion.
Sequel to the events of this ‘Black Day’, through meticulous investigations, “irrefutable pieces of evidence were collected to legally prosecute the accused involved in the May 9 tragedy,” the ISPR said and added that certain cases were referred for field general court martial as per law, where they underwent trials following due process.
On December 13, a seven-member constitutional bench of the SC directed that the cases pending due to an earlier order of the apex court be finalised and judgements in the cases of those accused found involved in these violent incidents be announced.
In light of the SC decision, the field general court martial has in the first phase promulgated the punishments to the following 25 accused; after examining all evidence, affording all legal rights to the accused and the completion of “due process”:
Jan Muhammad Khan s/o Toor Khan, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident.
Muhammad Imran Mehboob s/o Mehboob Ahmed, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident.
Raja Muhammad Ehsan s/o Raja Muhammad Maqsood, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in GHQ attack incident.
Rehmat Ullah s/o Manjoor Khan, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident.
Anwar Khan s/o Muhammad Khan, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the PAF Base Mianwali incident.
Muhammad Afaq Khan s/o M Ishfaq Khan, 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Bannu Cantt incident.
Daud Khan s/o Ameer Zaib, 7 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Chakdara Fort incident.
Faheem Haider s/o Farooq Haider, 6 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident.
Zahid Khan s/o Muhammad Khan, 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Multan Cantt Check Post incident.
Yasir Nawaz s/o Ameer Nawaz Khan, 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident.
Abdul Hadi s/o Abdul Qayyum, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident.
Ali Shan s/o Noor Muhammad, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Jinnah House incident.
Daud Khan s/o Shad Khan, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident.
Umar Farooq s/o Muhammad Sabbir, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in GHQ attack incident.
Babar Jamal s/o Muhammad Ajmal Khan, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the PAF Base Mianwali incident.
Muhammad Hashir Khan s/o Tahir Bashir, 6 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident.
Muhammad Ashiq Khan s/o Naseeb Khan, 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident.
Khuram Shahzad s/o Liaqat Ali, 3 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Multan Cantt Check Post incident.
Muhammad Bilawal s/o Manzoor Hussain, 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident.
Said Alam s/o Maaz Ullah Khan, 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident.
Laeeq Ahmed s/o Manzoor Ahmed, 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in ISI Office Faisalabad incident.
Ali Iftikhar s/o Iftikhar Ahmed, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident.
Ziaur Rehman s/o Azam Khurshid, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident.
Adnan Ahmed s/o Sher Muhammad, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident.
Shakir Ullah s/o Anwar Shah, 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident.
According to the ISPR, the promulgation of the sentences of the remaining accused is also being done and would be announced “shortly” as and when the due process is complete.
“This is an important milestone in the 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,” it said.
Many accused were under trial in various anti-terrorism courts and their cases were 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.”
It added that the state would pursue dispensation of justice to ensure the establishment of writ of the state, “so as to uproot this evil of violence driven disruptive and destructive politics based on hate, divisiveness and baseless propaganda.”
The ISPR mentioned that all convicts retain the right to appeal and other legal resources, as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution.
