A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has sentenced more than 100 members of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to prison for their involvement in violent protests targeting military sites in 2023.
According to a court order obtained by Reuters, 58 of the convicted individuals — including senior PTI figures and current parliamentarians Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli Faraz — were each handed 10-year prison terms. Others received sentences ranging from one to three years.
The convictions stem from the May 9, 2023, nationwide protests that erupted following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. During the unrest, demonstrators attacked key military and government facilities, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. The current verdict relates specifically to the storming of an intelligence agency office in Faisalabad.
The court stated that the prosecution had “proved its case against the accused without a shadow of doubt.”
This marks the third mass sentencing of PTI members in recent weeks. PTI has claimed that at least 14 sitting lawmakers are among those convicted, which could lead to their disqualification from office under Pakistani law—a major setback for the opposition’s presence in parliament.
PTI denounced the verdict as politically motivated and accused the military of orchestrating the crackdown to silence dissent. The military has denied any such involvement.
Meanwhile, 77 individuals were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
Imran Khan, who remains jailed on multiple charges including corruption and disclosure of state secrets, is facing a separate trial for allegedly inciting the protests. He denies all allegations. His party has announced plans for nationwide demonstrations starting August 5 to mark the second anniversary of his detention.
