PTI announces staging 'peaceful protests' to mark May 9 mayhem anniversary

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday announced staging peaceful protests across the country on May 9 — the day when violent protests broke out following the arrest of party founder Imran Khan last year.

Speaking to the media after meeting the founding chairman in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan reiterated its demand to hold a judicial inquiry into the May 9 violence ahead of the anniversary of the unprecedented violent protests.

“Even today, we are demanding to form a judicial commission [to probe] the May 9 events,” he added.

Barrister Gohar said the PTI would hold rallies across the country to mark the May 9 anniversary. “We will hold peaceful protests on May 9 and the ticket holders will lead them.”

The May 9 events refer to violent protests triggered by the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in a corruption case from the premises of Islamabad High Court (IHC) last year.

During the protests, alleged PTI supporters damaged public and private properties and also attacked military installations in different parts of the country.

Speaking about the May 9 incident earlier today, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the perpetrators and facilitators of the riots need to be punished as per the Constitution and law of the land to preserve the credibility and faith in the country’s justice system.

"The issue of May 9 riots is not limited to the Pakistan Army but [in fact] concerns the whole nation," the military's spokesperson said while addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi.

Speaking about his meeting with the party founder, Barrister Gohar said he held consultations with Khan on political and legal matters.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s order suspending the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) ruling depriving the PTI of its reserved seats, Gohar said he provided guidance to the incarcerated party founder in the light of the verdict.

“We hope that our 78 snatched seats will be returned," he said referring to the February 8 general election.

He said US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome had requested a meeting with PTI and added that the envoy was briefed on the alleged human rights violations in the country.