ISLAMABAD, Aug 8 — 108 members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party were sentenced to prison by Pakistan’s anti-terrorism court in May 2023 over their involvement in protests, according to party officials and court records.
A 10-year prison term was received by Omar Ayub Khan, PTI’s secretary general and the opposition leader in the National Assembly. The court found him guilty of aiding violence and conspiring to incite arson, though he was not physically present at the protests.
Six other PTI lawmakers were disqualified from parliament following the verdicts. The Election Commission confirmed the disqualifications late Tuesday, citing legal ineligibility under terrorism-related convictions.
Following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the May 9 protests erupted. Accused of attacking military facilities, setting government vehicles on fire, and attempting to breach cantonment areas were demonstrators.
The government described the protests as an organized assault targeting state institutions. Dozens of PTI leaders were arrested in the weeks that followed.
Gohar Ali Khan, PTI’s chairman, rejected the rulings and described the cases against Ayub and others as “baseless.” In a statement posted to the party’s official social media account, PTI said the convictions targeted party figures for “loyalty to Khan’s political narrative.”
The party said it would appeal the verdicts in higher courts. Legal teams began filing review petitions on Wednesday, according to PTI legal adviser Shoaib Shaheen.
Ayub was tried under the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act. The trial took place without public access. No transcripts were made public.
The Ministry of Law did not respond to requests for comment.
Nationwide Arrests on Anniversary of Khan’s Detention
On August 7th, police detained more than 240 supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during protests held across several cities on Tuesday, according to security officials and PTI party representatives.
Protesters assembled to observe the second anniversary of Khan’s detention. In Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi, clashes broke out where police used tear gas and batons to disperse crowds. Prior bans on public gatherings in the capital and other sensitive zones had been issued by local authorities.
Among those arrested in Lahore is Rehana Dar, a 73-year-old PTI politician. She was seen being forced into a police vehicle outside a protest site. Her detention was confirmed by party officials.
Rallies were planned as peaceful demonstrations demanding Khan’s release, Zulfiqar Bukhari, a PTI spokesperson, says. The party intended to protest in major cities, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi, but was blocked by security forces, he says. He accused the police of targeting protestors without provocation.
Security officials in Punjab said 122 people were arrested in Lahore for blocking roads and “threatening public order.” They did not specify charges.
In Karachi, police dispersed several small crowds using force. Injuries were not reported. Arrest figures for the city were not immediately released.
The Interior Ministry confirmed the nationwide enforcement of protest bans. It said the actions were necessary “to maintain law and order and prevent damage to public property.”
Police also cordoned off areas near Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where Khan remains imprisoned.
The protest anniversary followed court rulings that sentenced key PTI leaders earlier this week. In several cities, party supporters gathered outside courthouses and government buildings, chanting slogans demanding Khan’s release.
No official government briefing on the total number of detentions. PTI said many of its workers were still missing as of Wednesday morning.
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Government Signals Openness to Pardon Conditional on Apology
A senior government official said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration could consider a pardon for former Prime Minister Imran Khan if he issued a formal apology.
Rana Ihsan Afzal, the Prime Minister’s coordinator for commerce and industries, said on DawnNews TV that current laws allow the possibility of reducing Khan’s sentence. He said the option would require a written mercy petition addressed to the president.
“If he writes some mercy petition or an apology to the head of state, then in my opinion, his sentence can definitely be forgiven,” Afzal said during the televised interview.
Khan, jailed since August 2023, is serving a 14-year sentence in a corruption case and faces over 150 additional legal proceedings, including charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9, 2023, protests.
Afzal said the law provided room for such relief but emphasized that the initiative must come from Khan. “Besides this, the government does not have any other power to forgive his sentence,” he said.
He also said dialogue between parties remained possible. “The most important thing in politics is that there is no enmity between political parties,” Afzal added.
Separately, Pakistan People’s Party Secretary-General Nayyar Bukhari said the state held constitutional authority to withdraw cases and issue pardons. Speaking to local media, Bukhari said, “Pakistan’s head of state has the authority to grant forgiveness. This is in the Constitution, right?”
He said that such relief could be negotiated through political dialogue. “If this dialogue does not happen, then where will the relief come from?” he added.
Khan’s legal team has not responded publicly to the remarks. The Presidency has not issued any statement on the possibility of clemency.
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Status of Imran Khan and Legal Challenges
RAWALPINDI, Aug 8 — Imran Khan remains in Adiala Jail, serving a sentence linked to a £190 million corruption case. In August 2023, he was convicted. His wife, Bushra Bibi, received a sentence related to the same case.
More than 150 ongoing legal cases are faced by Khan, according to his legal team and court records. Charges include the unauthorized disclosure of state documents, terrorism and contempt.
The May 2023 protests, which erupted after Khan’s initial arrest, led to additional charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Courts have linked Khan and several senior party leaders to the violence that followed.
Since his disqualification from contesting the 2024 general elections, Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has operated through independent candidates. Those candidates secured the most seats in the National Assembly but failed to form a government.
Khan rejects the allegations and claims the cases were driven by political motives. He has not issued a public statement since June. Messages attributed to him are posted by PTI through official accounts.
Court proceedings in most cases have taken place under high security. Hearings have been held within the prison facility. Media access has been restricted.
PTI officials say Khan’s legal team continues to file appeals. No final rulings have been issued in several major cases, including those involving the Official Secrets Act and incitement under terrorism laws.
The government has not announced any timeline for concluding the trials. Khan’s legal status remains under review by multiple benches across provincial and federal courts.
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