Pakistan courts sentence dozens from Khan\’s party

Punjab Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Bhachar Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

Summary of Court Findings

• Malik Ahmad Bhachar, Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader, received a 10‑year sentence.
• Additional PTI supporters, including a former parliamentarian and 32 other members, were also condemned to 10 years each.
• Eight PTI members, comprising former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, former minister Yasmin Rashid, and Senator Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhary, received 10‑year sentences in Lahore.
• Former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and five others were acquitted.

Context of the Protests

The sentences were handed down by anti‑terrorism courts in the eastern cities of Lahore and Sargodha after dozens were found guilty of involvement in anti‑government riots when former Prime Minister Imran Khan was first arrested.

Legal and Political Backdrop

Imran Khan, who served as Pakistan’s Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, was initially arrested in May 2023, sparking nationwide unrest. Some riots targeted military facilities, leading to separate trials in military courts for those accused of attacking military installations.

Party Response and Future Actions

PTI’s London‑based spokesperson Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari described the trials as “political spectacles” and called for challenges to the verdicts in higher courts. PTI also vowed to expose procedural impropriety, selective justice, and constitutional violations.

Concluding Observations

PTI’s crackdown on Khan and his supporters continues to undermine the coalition government, with thousands rounded up and Khan’s name censored from television. A UN panel last year concluded that Khan’s detention had no legal basis and appeared intended to disqualify him from contesting elections.