ISLAMABAD: At least 20 convicts, who were sentenced by military courts for violence over former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest last year, have been released from military custody, following a remission granted by Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir.
Hundreds of suspects were rounded up in the wake of violent protests in Pakistan on May 9, 2023 over Khan’s brief arrest in a graft case that saw his supporters attack government and military installations in the South Asian country.
On Monday, the Pakistani government shared details of those released with the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which has been hearing a set of intra-court appeals against its unanimous judgment nullifying military trials of civilians.
Four petitions had been filed against military trials of civilians by ex-PM Khan, former chief justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, prominent lawyer and politician Aitzaz Ahsan, and Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research Chief Executive Karamat Ali.
“We welcome the release of 20 people from the military custody,” Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, a member of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told Arab News, adding the party’s legal teams were pursuing cases of those who were still in military custody.
“Trial of civilians in military courts is absolutely illegal and unconstitutional. Therefore, all the detainees in military custody must be released immediately.”
Bukhari said if anybody had committed any crime, they must be tried in civil courts.
The ones released from the military’s custody on April 6-7 included eight residents of Rawalpindi, three of Lahore, five of Gujranwala, three of Dir, and one from Mardan. The convicts remained in custody for up to 10-and-a-half months.
In December last year, the Supreme Court had allowed military courts to resume trials of civilians, conditionally allowing them to announce reserved judgments in cases relating to the May 9 violence.
The top court had directed Attorney-General Mansoor Usman Awan to submit a list of accused who could be acquitted and of those cases, in which the sentences were less than three years and could have the benefit of remission.
Following the directives, the army chief granted remission to 20 convicts. Arab News tried to reach the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), and the attorney-general, but they were not immediately available for a comment.
