May 9 riots: ATC allows accused’s trial in military court

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Tuesday approved prosecuting four accused allegedly involved in attacking sensitive army installation in Faisalabad on May 9 in military court.

The commanding officer of the Pakistan Army had sought the custody of the accused allegedly involved in attacking the office of a security institution in Faisalabad during the violent protests triggered following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan.

ATC Judge Muhammad Hussain conducted the hearing of the case and allowed handing over the accused to the military to be tried under Army Act.

Enraged by the arrest, party supporters allegedly pillaged government and military installations on May 9.

To contain the violence, the government called in the army and announced that the protesters would be tried under army laws.

A large number of PTI workers and leaders have been arrested in a countrywide crackdown.

A day earlier, the ATC in Rawalpindi approved the transfer of eight accused involved in the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ) during the May 9 riots to military courts.

The transfer of the cases was approved by ATC Judge Hamid Hussain after Deputy Prosecutor General Malik Rafqat Ali moved a petition seeking the transfer of the suspects to military courts.

Similarly, 16 suspects including ex-PTI MPA involved in the ransacking and vandalising of Jinnah House in Lahore, were handed over to the commanding officer last week.