ISLAMABAD – Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will face a trial in a military court for the violence protests that had erupted on May 9 following his arrest in a corruption case.
In an interview with a private news channel, the minister called the former premier “mastermind” of the attack on military installations, adding that to his understanding it was a case of the military court.
Sanaullah claimed that all planning about the attacks had been made before Khan’s arrest, adding that the argument that he was in the jail at that time did not hold.
He said the government had evidence about the involvement of Imran Khan in the case.
The PTI is facing the heat following the violent protests that had erupted on May 9 following his arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
Hundreds of PTI supporters and leaders have been arrested for attacking the military installation and memorial of martyrs in various cities of the country. Some of them have been handed over to the military for their trial under the Army Act. The party was also hit by back-to-back resignations from the party leaders as Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari, Imran Ismail and others have parted ways with Mr Khan.
Last week, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Tuesday authorised the transfer of four suspects charged with targeting military installations during the May 9 riots to the military court.
The Pakistan Army’s commanding officer had requested custody of the suspects, who allegedly targeted the office of a security institution in Faisalabad during the violent protests following the arrest of Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
ATC Judge Muhammad Hussain presided over the case and granted permission for the accused to be tried under the Army Act.
‘Protest outside GHQ is our right’, says Imran Khan amid crackdown on PTI
