Pakistan Sentences 166 PTI Members to 10 Years Over May 9 Attacks

Lahore, July 31 (PTI): A court in Pakistan has sentenced 166 members of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to 10-year imprisonment in connection with the May 9, 2023, attacks on ISI building and military sites in Punjab.

This verdict, handed down by the Faisalabad Anti-terrorism Court (ATC), comes just one week before the planned launch of the "Free Imran Khan Movement," set to begin nationwide on August 5. PTI, sharply criticizing the court's ruling, claims it's a strategy to disqualify their lawmakers and prevent peaceful protests.

On May 9, 2023, PTI supporters vandalized several military sites, including the Jinnah House in Lahore, Mianwali Airbase, and ISI building in Faisalabad. The Army headquarters in Rawalpindi also witnessed unprecedented protests against Khan's arrest.

The ATC Faisalabad convicted 108 out of 185 individuals in the Faisalabad ISI building attack, acquitting the other 77. Additionally, in a separate case concerning an attack on a Faisalabad police station, 58 people received 10-year sentences.

Prominent leaders such as Omar Ayub, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly; Shibli Faraz, Opposition Leader in the Senate; and renowned PTI figures like Zartaj Gul and Sahibzada Hamid Raza were sentenced to 10 years each. So far, 14 PTI legislators have been convicted concerning the May 9 incidents.

PTI's interim chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali, announced plans to challenge the sentences in the Lahore High Court, claiming the disqualification of lawmakers is based on police testimonies and politically motivated. He alleges this is part of a broader effort to fill parliament and Senate seats with government allies.

Previously, on July 22, ATC Lahore also handed down 10-year sentences to seven PTI leaders over the Sharpao Bridge riots on May 9, 2023.

Imran Khan, the 72-year-old former cricket star turned politician, was ousted over corruption charges in April 2022 and has been incarcerated since August 2023 following numerous legal battles. His arrest incited the May 9 vandalism, leading to the detention of approximately 10,000 supporters. Over 100 PTI loyalists were tried in military courts, receiving sentences ranging from 2 to 10 years, including Khan's nephew Hassan Khan who is currently serving a decade-long sentence.

Additionally, Khan's sister Aleema Khan announced that Khan's sons, Suleman and Kasim, plan to participate in the

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