May 9 attacks: Mastermind Imran to be tried in military court: Rana Sana

The Interior Minister says PTI chief made a plan to target military installations and ensured its implementation

By News Desk

May 31, 2023

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah (Left) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan (Right). — APP/PTIofficial

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has announced that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will be tried in a military court for the violence that took place on May 9 following his arrest from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises.

“Imran Khan made a programme to target military installations and ensured its implementation so, according to my understanding, it is a case of the military court,” the security czar said in an interview with a private TV channel on Tuesday, Geo News reported.

He added that the deposed prime minister — who was removed from power through a no-confidence motion in April last year — was the “mastermind” of the attacks and had planned it before, and the argument that he was in jail does not hold.

“All the planning was done before Imran Khan’s arrest and the main architect of this is Imran Khan,” said the minister. He also added that the government has “evidence” of Imran’s involvement. Enraged by the PTI chief’s arrest, party workers and supporters 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.

On Tuesday, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad approved handing over four accused involved in attacking defence installations during the May 9 riots to the military court.

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