Military courts have sentenced 25 civilians to prison terms ranging from two to 10 years for their involvement in violent attacks on military installations during the May 9, 2023 riots. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a statement confirming the sentences on Saturday. This follows a Supreme Court ruling allowing military courts to proceed with the cases of 85 detained civilians involved in the disturbances. According to the court’s order, those eligible for release due to remissions will be freed immediately, while others will be handed over to the appropriate jail authorities.
The convictions relate to violent attacks on key military sites, including the Jinnah House, General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Base Mianwali. The ISPR called the May 9 violence a politically motivated act of arson and destruction, branding it a “dark chapter” in Pakistan’s history. The military also emphasized that the attacks were part of a politically orchestrated effort to spread hate and chaos, while stressing the need to counter such political terrorism.
The convicted individuals have the right to appeal. The ISPR also shared a video showing the convicts and the specific crimes they were sentenced for. The military further detailed that investigations and evidence gathering had been thorough, and several cases were referred for Field General Court Martial (FGCM). Other convictions are expected soon.
The military stressed that justice was being served and reminded the public that no one should take the law into their own hands. Additionally, the ISPR mentioned that some of the accused were being tried in Anti-Terrorist Courts, but emphasized that true justice would be achieved only when the masterminds behind the May 9 violence were punished.
The riots, triggered by the arrest of the former prime minister, caused at least 10 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and significant damage to public and military property, amounting to a loss of approximately Rs 2.5 billion. The military attributes the riots to a coordinated attack by the PTI leadership.
In this first phase of sentencing, 14 of the 25 convicted individuals received 10-year sentences, with many of them involved in the Jinnah House attack. Others were linked to attacks on the GHQ, PAF Base Mianwali, and other military installations. Among those sentenced were Jan Muhammad Khan and Muhammad Imran Mehboob, both involved in the Jinnah House attack, and Anwar Khan, linked to the PAF Base Mianwali attack.
The PTI, in response, criticized the military court rulings, claiming that many of the convicted were coerced into false confessions. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, however, argued that the delay in sentencing had emboldened the accused and their supporters. He emphasized that the real culprits—the planners of the violence—should also be held accountable.
