More than 100 people, including key political figures, were convicted on Thursday in connection with the widespread protests that followed the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2023. Among those sentenced was Omar Ayub Khan, the opposition leader in Pakistan’s National Assembly, who received a 10-year prison term despite not being physically present at the demonstrations.
The convictions, handed down by an anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad, relate to the unrest that erupted nationwide on May 2023 9 after Khan’s brief detention in Islamabad. Protesters targeted several military installations during the upheaval, prompting a swift and extensive crackdown.
Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), confirmed that six sitting members of parliament, a senator, and a provincial legislator were also handed 10-year sentences. PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan condemned the verdicts, labelling them damaging for the country’s democratic framework. “We will challenge these rulings in a higher court,” he told reporters, warning that such actions are detrimental to democracy.
Despite the convictions, the sentenced individuals have not yet been taken into custody, as they have remained on bail throughout the trial.
Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 until his ousting in 2022, has been behind bars for almost two years. He maintains that the numerous charges against him are politically motivated. In the aftermath of the May 2023 unrest, many of his supporters and senior party officials have been arrested, while Khan’s presence in the media has been heavily censored.
Speaking from London, PTI spokesperson Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari described the mass sentencing as “a black day for democracy.” He warned that the continued targeting of opposition leaders posed a serious threat to Pakistan’s already fragile democratic institutions.
