- 48 of 67 convicts filed appeals against the sentences: Gohar.
- PTI says it will present demands to the government in today’s meeting.
- Military courts sentenced 85 people in two batches last month.
ISLAMABAD: After the military Courts of Appeal granted clemency to more than a dozen convicts for the violent May 9, 2023 protests “on humanitarian grounds” today, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Lawyer Gohar Ali Khan has said that Pardoning 19 of 67 inmates “is not a great advance.”
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad on Thursday, Gohar said 48 of 67 convicts had filed appeals against their sentences, but only 19 were granted clemency.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced that the sentences of up to 19 convicts have been forgiven “on purely humanitarian grounds” after they had asked for clemency.
Noting that the remaining mercy petitions will be decided in due course, after the legal process, the army’s media wing said that the 19 persons, whose appeals have been accepted, will be released after completing the procedural formalities.
Referring to the release of 20 convicts on humanitarian grounds in April 2024, the statement underlined the “robustness of due process and fairness, which ensures that justice is done taking into account the principles of compassion and mercy.”
The military court had first punished 25 people and, a few days later, handed down sentences to 60 people.
The second batch of convicts also included PTI founder Imran Khan’s jailed nephew Hassan Khan Niazi, who faces 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for his role in the Jinnah House incident.
The May 9 riots refer to the violent protests sparked by the arrest of the PTI founder in a corruption case in 2023.
The protests saw attacks on public and military facilities, including the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the Lahore Corps Commander’s House, also known as Jinnah House, and several others across the country.
Commenting on today’s developments, Gohar reiterated that the party founded by Imran Khan was against the trial of civilians in military courts and the Supreme Court had also given its opinion in this regard.
It is worth mentioning here that the military trials were initially suspended after the ruling of a higher court; However, the constitutional court ordered that the pending cases due to the previous order be finalized and the sentences be announced in the cases of the accused involved in these violent incidents.
To a question related to the talks between the government and the opposition, the PTI legislator in the National Assembly said that his party committee will present its demands to the ruling government.
He stressed the need for political parties to sit together and reach a conclusion to the talks for the broader interests of the nation.
The government and the former ruling party today kicked off the crucial second round of dialogue amid the January 31 deadline set by the latter for result-oriented talks.
The meeting was held at the Constitution Committee Room of the House of Parliament, under the chairmanship of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq.
In its meeting with the government team, the PTI negotiating team had decided to pursue two initial demands: the release of the prosecuted political prisoners and the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9, 2023 and the repression. nocturnal against protesters on November 26.
After months of intense political tensions, the embattled former ruling party and the government finally held their first round of dialogue last month.
