Islamabad [Pakistan], January 31 : The Islamabad High Court suspended the sentences of 10 people convicted in connection with protests that began on May 9 in 2023 after the arrest of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, The Express Tribune reported.
A division bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan gave the decision in favour of suspending the sentences and approved bail of the convicts after surety bonds worth Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 25,000 each were submitted, the report said.
In November last year, an anti-terrorism court had sentenced the convicts to a combined five years and 10 months in prison for their alleged role in targeting police personnel and setting a checkpoint on fire at Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad, The Express Tribune reported. In its written order, the high court said that case records did not establish that any of the convicts were arrested from the protest site.
Defence lawyers said that the trial court had already acquitted the accused of terrorism charges and convicted them on lesser offenses. The court said, "The accused were not caught from the crime scene, yet they were convicted."
The prosecution said that the trial court had sentenced the convicts on the basis of forensic and CCTV footage evidence. The prosecution opposed the suspensions, stressing that the verdict was backed by available proof. The chargesheet revealed that five of the 10 convicted people were Afghan nationals, The Express Tribune reported. The court asked the accused to submit original identity documents to the deputy registrar for verification.
The court said, "In case of Afghan citizenship, the deputy registrar shall retain the documents." The court asked the convicts to appear before the court for all future hearings as the appeals process continues.
On January 22, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, and others in connection with their alleged involvement in the May 9 riots, Geo News reported.
The court issued the arrest warrants as the leaders failed to appear in a case registered at the Civil Lines Police Station. Non-bailable arrest warrants were also issued against PTI leader Kanwal Shauzab and former party leader Fawad Chaudhry.
During his court appearance, PTI Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Junaid Afzal Sahiwho, along with Khayal Ahmad Kastro, had been declared an absconder for failing to appearstated that a review petition had been filed and was subsequently adjourned by the court, according to Geo News report.
The case pertains to allegations of setting a police van on fire and accuses PTI leaders of aiding and encouraging arson. Arrest warrants were issued against the three PTI leaders and Fawad Chaudhry for failing to attend the previous hearing, now followed by the issuance of non-bailable warrants.
Violent clashes erupted in Pakistan after Imran Khan was arrested on May 9, 2023. The protests were held in remote and major cities as PTI workers were angry over the arrest of the party founder, with Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad summoning the armed forces to ensure law and order. Army installations, including the Corps Commander's house in Lahore, were attacked during the protests held by PTI workers.
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