May 9 riots: Military courts hand another 60 civilians 2-10 years of jail time

26.12.2024 16:55

Dawn

Military courts have sentenced another 60 civilians to prison terms ranging from two to 10 years for their involvement in violent attacks on military installations during nationwide riots on May 9 last year, a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.

Today’s announcement comes less than a week after the ISPR announced that 25 civilians were handed prison terms by military courts over the May 9 events.

Key takeaways:

Total 85 civilians sentenced — conditional on final SC verdict
Imran’s nephew Hassaan Niazi handed 10-year prison term
Sentenced persons “retain right to appeal”, other legal recourses

“Sequel to the announcement of the May 9 punishments in light of the Supreme Court’s decision, the Field General Court Martial has promulgated the punishments to the following remaining 60 culprits after examining all evidences, ensuring the provision of all legal rights to the convicts, completion of due process and the appropriate legal proceedings,” the ISPR said in a press release.

The statement added that the trials of those accused of the May 9 riots under military custody have been “concluded under the relevant laws”.

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

“The nation, government, and the armed forces remain steadfast in their commitment to upholding justice and ensuring that the inviolable writ of the state is maintained.”

The sentencing of a total of 85 civilians comes after the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench conditionally allowed military courts to pronounce the verdicts of the under-custody suspects in cases pertaining to the May 9 riots.

Following today’s announcement, persons who can be released after remissions can “be released forthwith and the persons who have to yet undergo the sentence awarded to them, their custody” will be handed over to the “concerned jail authorities”, as per the SC order.

The bench had ordered that the announcement of judgements would be subject to a final determination of the appeals before the SC, and without prejudice to the rights of those 85 accused persons.

Imran’s nephew Hassan Khan Niazi, who was handed into military custody in August last year, was among the two people sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, according to the list issued today.

On May 9, PTI supporters, protesting the party founder Imran Khan’s brief arrest, staged violent protests throughout the country, vandalising military installations and state-owned buildings, while also attacking the Lahore corps commander’s residence.

Following the riots, thousands of protesters, including party leaders, were arrested. Later, the government identified 105 civilians and accused persons and provided a list of their names to the top court to be tried under the Army Act.

While a five-member SC bench in October 2023 had declared the military trials of civilians arrested on May 9 to be null and void, another bench in a 5-1 majority verdict conditionally suspended that ruling months later — pending a final judgement as it heard a set of intra-court appeals (ICAs).

During the hearing of the ICAs earlier this month, the SC’s seven-member constitutional bench led by Justice Aminuddin Khan conditionally allowed military courts to pronounce the verdicts of 85 civilians in military custody over the May 9 riots.

The sentencing of civilians by military courts was not only condemned by the PTI, but the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union also raised concerns, saying the move contradicted international laws.

Lawyers had also questioned the proceedings and the “disproportionately high conviction rate”.

Prison terms range from 2-10 years

Ten-year sentences were handed down to two of the 60 persons convicted in the second phase, with nine-year terms to 10; one each given eight-year and five-year terms; six years to eight; seven years to five; four years to 11; three years to two; and 20 handed two-year terms.

According to the ISPR, the following 60 individuals have been handed the sentences:

Hassan Khan Niazi s/o Hafizullah Niazi — 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Ehsan Ullah Khan s/o Najeeb Ullah Khan — 10 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the PAF Base Mianwali incident
Syed Hassan Shah s/o Asif Hussain Shah — 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in GHQ attack incident
Ameen Shah s/o Mashter Khan — 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Bannu Cantt incident
Ikram Ullah s/o Khanzada Khan — 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Bannu Cantt incident
Khizar Hayat s/o Umar Qiyaz Khan — 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Bannu Cantt incident
Saqlain Haider s/o Rafiullah Khan — 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Bannu Cantt incident
Izzat Gul s/o Mirdat Khan — 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Bannu Cantt incident
Naik Muhammad s/o Nasrullah Jan — 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Bannu Cantt incident
Fahad Imran s/o Muhammad Imran Shahid — 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the ISI Office Faisalabad incident
Raheem Ullah s/o Bait Ullah — 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Bannu Cantt incident
Khalid Nawaz s/o Hamid Khan — 9 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Bannu Cantt incident
Fahim Sajid s/o Muhammad Khan — 8 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the PAF Base Mianwali incident
Ali Hussain s/o Khalil ur Rehman — 7 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in AIMH Rawalpindi attack incident
Zakir Hussain s/o Shah Faisal — 7 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Chakdara Fort incident
Muhammad Arslan s/o Muhammad Siraj — 7 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Farhad Khan s/o Shahid Hussain — 7 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in AIMH Rawalpindi incident
Gohar Rehman s/o Gul Rehman — 7 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Chakdara Fort incident
Raees Ahmed s/o Shafi Ullah — 6 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Jinnah House incident
Arzam Junaid s/o Junaid Razzaq — 6 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Ali Raza s/o Ghulam Mustafa — 6 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Brig (Retd) Javed Akram s/o Chaudhary Muhammad Akarm — 6 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Muhammad Umair s/o Abdul Sattar — 6 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Muhammad Raheem s/o Naeem Khan — 6 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Mudassir Hafiz s/o Hafeez Ullah — 6 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Waqas Ali s/o Muhammad Ashraf — 6 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Muhammad Farrukh s/o Shams Tabriz — 5 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in ISI Office Faisalabad incident
Raja Danish s/o Raja Abdul Waheed — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in GHQ attack incident
Sohrab Khan s/o Riaz Khan — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in HQ Dir Scouts Timergara incident
Khuram Liaqat s/o Liaqat Ali Shahid — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Multan Cantt Checkpost incident
Noman Shah s/o Mehmood Ahmad Shah — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Jinnah House incident
Muhammad Abdullah s/o Kanwar Ashraf Khan — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in GHQ attack
Sajjad Ahmed s/o Muhammad Iqbal — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Muhammad Bilal s/o Muhammad Afzal — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the PAF Base Mianwali incident
Asad Ullah Durani s/o Badshah Zada — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in HQ Dir Scouts Timergara incident
Ikram Ullah s/o Shah Zaman — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Chakdara Fort incident
Ameer Zohaib s/o Nazeer Ahmed Sheikh — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Jinnah House incident
Raees Ahmed s/o Khaista Rehman — 4 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Chakdara Fort incident
Pirzada Mian Muhammad Ishaq Bhutta s/o Pirzada Mian Qamarud Dind Bhutta — 3 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Multan Cantt Checkpost incident
Hamid Ali s/o Syed Hadi Shah — 3 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Multan Cantt Checkpost incident
Mian Abbad Farooq s/o Amanat Ali — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Zahid Khan s/o Muhammad Nabi — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in PRC Mardan incident
Hamza Sharif s/o Muhammad Azam — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in ISI Office Faisalabad incident
Muhammad Ahmed s/o Muhammad Nazir — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident
Amjad Ali s/o Manzoor Ahmed — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in ISI Office Faisalabad incident
Muneeb Ahmed s/o Naveed Ahmed Butt — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident
Muhammad Ali s/o Muhammad Boota — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in ISI Office Faisalabad incident
Sami Ullah s/o Meer dad Khan — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Bannu Cantt incident
Mian Muhammad Akram Usman s/o Mian Muhammad Usman — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Jinnah House incident
Muhammad Nawaz s/o Abdul Samad — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident
Muhammad Suleman s/o Said Ghani Jan — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in HQ Dir Scouts Timergara incident
Izzat Khan s/o Awal Khan — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in HQ Dir Scouts Timergara incident
Asher Butt s/o Muhammad Arshad Butt — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident
Muhammad Salman s/o Zahid Nisar — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in ISI Office Faisalabad incident
Muhammad Waqas s/o Malik Muhammad Khalil — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident
Haider Majeed s/o Muhammad Majeed — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Jinnah House incident
Gp Capt Viqas Ahmed Mohsin (Retd) s/o Bashir Ahmed Mohsin — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in Jinnah House incident
Muhammad Ilyas s/o Muhammad Fazal Haleem — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in HQ Dir Scouts Timergara incident
Muhammad Ayaz s/o Sahibzada Khan — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Main Gate FC Cantt Peshawar incident
Sufayan Idrees s/o Idrees Ahmed — 2 years rigorous imprisonment, involved in the Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident

Imran says transparent trial fundamental right of citizens

In a statement posted to his X account today, Imran emphasised that if trials had to be conducted in an open court, then video footage of the events of May 9 would have to be provided. “The video record of the attack on me in the Judicial Complex, Islamabad on March 18, 2023, was deliberately hidden.”

He highlighted that a transparent trial is a fundamental right of citizens. “Conducting trials in military courts has undermined the fundamental rights of citizens,” he said.

‘The martyrs are now at peace’: Tarar

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar welcomed the verdicts from the May 9 trial, stating that the country’s martyrs “were now at peace” after the rioters were punished.

“They (the PTI) were told not to go ahead with the riots but they did anyway,” Tarar said in a televised address today. “We can track these people through their phones. It is clear as day that they intended to spread anarchy and destruction.

“We will enforce the rule of law and will not tolerate anyone destroying symbols of our country, our defence institutions, or the legacy of our martyrs,” the minister said.

Tarar hailed the conviction as a “big move” and welcomed the military courts’ sentences.

“Of these 60 people, some of them were accused of attacking the Jinnah House, others of attacking PAF Mianwali,” he said. “They were sentenced not just on video evidence, but also on technical evidence. We knew where these people were and could see what they did, as they were caught on camera.”

“These people fulfilled the wishes of our enemies,” he added.

The minister reiterated that those tried by military courts were granted the right to a free trial. “They received the right to choose their own legal counsel, the right to access the record and access to their families,” Tarar maintained.

“They are not tried in absentia and they have two rights to appeal — one with the military court and one with the high courts. International agreements were fulfilled and the process is constitutional and legal.”

The minister called the events of May 9 a “major date in the history of Pakistan”, stating that the country and its defence institutions were openly attacked. “The legacy of our martyrs — who sacrificed so much — was besmirched,” Tarar said. “We believe that their spirits can rest in peace now that these criminals have been punished.

“It took 2 years because it was a fair trial, but now the door is shut for those who wish to do the country harm,” he said.

The riots

At least 10 people lost their lives and hundreds sustained injuries, while approximately 40 public buildings and military installations were damaged, including Lahore Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House) and Askari Tower in Lahore, General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Office in Faisalabad, FC Fort in Chakdara, Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar, Toll Plaza at Swat Motorway and the PAF Base Mianwali.

In total, 62 outbreaks of violence were documented, inflicting a loss of Rs2.5 billion on the country, of which, according to the state, Rs1.98bn in losses were suffered by the army. The military says the events were a coordinated attack by the PTI leadership.

Lawyers weigh in

Lawyer Ayman Zafar told Dawn.com today that Pakistan’s reliance on military courts for trying civilians has resurfaced.

“The sentencing of 25 civilians by military tribunals for their alleged roles in the May 9 riots is the latest chapter in our perpetual constitutional tightrope walk,” she said. “While the government insists that these proceedings meet constitutional and procedural standards, critics — armed with principles like the right to a fair trial and judicial independence — would beg to differ.

“Military courts by design, are creatures of necessity, not choice. They are supposed to act as exceptional mechanisms for extraordinary circumstances. Yet in Pakistan, their invocation has become alarmingly routine. Is this recourse a sign of urgency, or does it reveal a lack of confidence in our civilian judiciary?”

She said that legally, Article 245 of the Constitution and its related provisions provide the framework for trying civilians in military courts.

“However, this framework was never meant to serve as the default mechanism for prosecuting offenses, even those targeting military installations. The 21st Amendment, which temporarily legitimised military courts, was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2015 — but only under exceptional circumstances with considerable judicial unease. The court itself referred to it as a “constitutional deviation” to be treated as an exception, not the norm.

“Fast forward to today, and we find ourselves once again stretching these exceptions. The government asserts that the accused received fair trials with adequate legal representation. Yet, one has to wonder: Can a legal system shrouded in secrecy, where military officers act as judge, jury, and (potentially) executioner, raise legitimate concerns about their compliance with constitutional guarantees of justice? The systemic mistrust these courts generate — both domestically and internationally — cannot be ignored.

“In the end, this situation is a litmus test for Pakistan’s legal and political maturity. Do we trust our civilian judiciary to do its job, or will we continue to lean on military courts as a crutch? The world watches, but more importantly, so does history — and history, as we know, has a long memory — and very little patience for repeated mistakes,” she said.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Advocate Ahmad Maudood Ausaf said: “The swiftness with which sentences are being pronounced is argument enough against the military trial of civilians — within a week since the last sentences were handed, 60 more have been condemned to the same fate.

“This raises a very important question: How can it be possible for the court to have perused all evidence, heard all parties, deliberated, and then authored a judgment (if at all) for not one but sixty civilians in five days? And, more importantly, have they acquitted somebody with the same swiftness?”

He noted that the sentences came just one day after the birth of Muhammad Ali Jinnah was commemorated.

“The founder firmly believed in a just Pakistan, one that recognized the significance of upholding the principles of due process, fair trial, and protection against arbitrary arrest and detention. Perhaps the trial judges waited for the 25th of December to pass to sentence all 60.

“The derision with which we are witnessing the flagrant disregard of the letter and spirit of the Constitution has to call for a day of reckoning, especially for those political vendors of this idiocy who fail to see that governments have never completed their terms in this youngest seventy-some-years-old country, Pakistan. It could very well have been them.

“However, as is true with the other 25, all hope isn’t lost. The cases will be challenged in the higher courts of the country. One can hope that justice will prevail — as will sanity,” Ausaf said.