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tarar labels pti founder ‘May 9 Riots’: MilitaRy couRts as ‘mastermind’ of May 9 riots sentence 25 to 2-10 yeaRs in pRison Sunday, 22 December, 2024 I 19 Jumada Al-Akhirah, 1446
OF 25 SENTENCED, 14 RECEIVED 10 YEARS OF RIGOROUS IMPRISONMENT, 11 HANDED SHORTER TERMS
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STAFF REPORT
ILITARY courts have sentenced 25 civilians to prison terms ranging from two to 10 years for their involvement in violent attacks on military installations during nationwide riots on May 9, 2023, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday. The ISPR statement revealed that the convicted individuals were involved in attacks on key military sites, including Jinnah House, the General Headquarters (GHQ), and the Pakistan Air Force Base in Mianwali.
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CONVICTS RETAIN RIGHT TO APPEAL AND OTHER LEGAL RECOURSES UNDER LAW AND CONSTITUTION: ISPR
Violent protests erupted across the country following the arrest of the former premier Imran Khan on May 9, 2023, from the Islamabad High Court’s premises by paramilitary forces. During the riots that went on for at least 24 hours, military installations were ransacked and vandalised by the rioters. “Of the 25 sentenced, 14 received the maximum punishment of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, while others were handed shorter terms”, the ISPR added. The convictions announced today primarily relate to attacks on several key military sites, including Jinnah House, General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Base Mianwali. In its statement, the ISPR said, “In light of the
PTI rejects military courts sentencing of civilians ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday rejected the sentences handed down by military courts to civilians with party’s stalwart Omar Ayub asserted military courts have no jurisdiction to try or sentence civilians. In a statement, Omar Ayub condemned the military court verdicts against PTI detainees, terming them a violation of justice. The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly emphasized that the detainees are ordinary citizens who cannot be tried in military courts, describing such courts sentencing civilians as “kangaroo courts” and arguing that they undermine the
principles of justice. “Military courts are not legitimate judicial partners of the state’s judicial power. Armed forces are part of the state’s administrative apparatus, not the judiciary,” Ayub said. He added that the establishment of such courts violates judicial independence and the constitutional principle of separation of powers, undermining the foundational features of the Constitution. Meanwhile, former National Assembly Speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser also denounced the military courts’ decisions, calling them a breach of fundamental human rights. “These trials have failed to meet the standards of justice,” Qaiser remarked while expressing his disappointment with the Supreme Court’s stance on the matter, vowing to continue the struggle for justice.
16 soldiers martyred in South Waziristan checkpost attack RAWALPINDI
STAFF REPORT
Sixteen soldiers were martyred on Saturday while thwarting terrorists attacked on a checkpost in Makeen area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district, the military’s media wing said in a statement. Pakistan has witnessed a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces and other law enforcement agencies, particularly in Balochistan and KP, since the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022. In a statement issued in the late hours of Saturday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that on Friday night, “a group of khwarij at-
tempted to attack a security forces checkpost in general area Makeen, South Waziristan District”. According to the statement, the attack was repelled and eight terrorists were “sent to hell”. However, 16 soldiers embraced martyrdom while responding to the assault. The statement added that a sanitisation operation was being conducted in the area and that “the perpetrators of the heinous act will be brought to justice”. “Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve,” said the ISPR. Soldier martyred as infiltration attempt thwarted in Khyber One soldier was martyred while four terrorists were killed as security
forces engaged a group of terrorists trying to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber district, the ISPR said in a separate statement issued earlier. In the statement, the military’s media wing said: “On night [of] 19/20 December, movement of a group of khwarij, trying to infiltrate through Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was picked up by the security forces in general area Rajgal, Khyber District. “Troops effectively engaged and thwarted their attempt to infiltrate. Resultantly, four khwarij were sent to hell,” the ISPR added. However, during the intense fire exchange, 22-year-old Sepoy Amir Sohail Afridi, a resident of Khyber District, “having fought gallantly, embraced shahadat (martyrdom)”.
a senior US Official at a think-tank. In a statement issued here on Saturday, the FO spokesperson said, the recent spate of US allegations towards a major non-NATO ally would be unhelpful for the overall relationship, especially in the absence of any evidence in this regard. “Pakistan has never had any illintention towards the US in any form or manner, and this fundamental reality has not changed. On the contrary, Pakistan has made monumental sacrifices for this relationship and continues to suffer hugely in sustaining the onslaught of the aftermath of US policies in the re-
gion,” she added. The spokesperson maintained that since 1954, Pakistan and the US had enjoyed a positive and broad-ranging relationship. “It is regrettable that the US official alluded to bracketing Pakistan with those who are perceived to be in an adversarial relationship with the US. While ignoring and shielding the manifestations of a much more potent missile capability in our eastern neighbourhood, concerns on Pakistani capabilities are being raised seemingly at the behest of others to further accentuate the already fragile strategic stability in the region,” it was further added.
Pakistan calls US official’s alleged perception over its missile capabilities ‘unfortunate, devoid of rationality’ ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) on Saturday said that the alleged threat perception from Pakistan’s missile capabilities and delivery means raised by a United States official was “unfounded, devoid of rationality and sense of history”. “The alleged threat perception from Pakistan’s missile capabilities and delivery means, raised by the US official are unfortunate”, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated while responding to media queries about the statement by
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Supreme Court decision, Field General Court Martial (FGCM) have in first phase promulgated the punishments to following 25 accused; after examining all evidence, affording all legal rights to the accused and completion of due process.” In this first phase of sentencing, the military courts have handed down punishments ranging from two to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. “All convicts retain the right to appeal and other legal recourses, as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution,” the ISPR said. The military described the May 9 incidents as a “dark chapter” in Pakistan’s history, marked by politically instigated violence and arson.
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LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Saturday labelled the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder as “mastermind of May 9” and his companions as “planners”, asserting “all those involved in May 9 riots will meet their logical end.” “People involved in terrorism in the garb of politics had met their logical end”, Attaullah Tarar stated while addressing party workers and people of his constituency here. Tarar said that people had strongly rejected anti-state elements who give priority to their personal interests over national interest. He said, “Promises related to development works made during the general elections 2024 by me and PML-N MPA Malik Asad Ali Khokhar are heading towards implementation.” He said that different development projects had been inaugurated today in the constituency to solve problems of the people.
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