The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement Thursday that the mercy petitions of 19 prisoners involved in the May 9 cases had been granted on humanitarian grounds.
This comes less than a month after 85 citizens who participated in the May 9 riots of 2023 were condemned by military courts. 25 people were given prison sentences ranging from two to ten years by military courts on December 21 of last year for the May 9 incidents.
A week later, 60 more individuals who had participated in the countrywide rioting received prison sentences ranging from two to ten years.
“The 9th May Tragedy convicts have exercised their right to appeal and have requested mercy or remission in their punishments subsequent to the imposition of punishments,” the statement stated.
It stated that 67 prisoners had submitted their mercy applications, 48 of which had been sent to the Courts of Appeal, and 19 of them had had their pleas granted “purely on humanitarian grounds, under the law.”
It stated that “remainder mercy petitions will be decided in due course, following the legal process.”
The following people have received their punishment:
Muhammad Ayaz, son of Sahibzada Khan, was found guilty of participating in the Main Gate FC Cantt Peshawar incident and given a two-year severe prison sentence.
Due to his role in the Bannu Cantt incident, Sami Ullah, son of Meer dad Khan, received a two-year severe prison sentence.
Manzoor Ahmed’s son, Laeeq Ahmed, was given a two-year severe prison sentence for his role in the ISI Office Faisalabad incident.
Amjad Ali, son of Manzoor Ahmed, was found guilty of participating in the ISI Office Faisalabad incident and given a two-year severe prison sentence.
Yasir Nawaz, son of Ameer Nawaz Khan, was found guilty of participating in the Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan incident and given a two-year severe prison sentence.
Said Alam, son of Maaz Ullah Khan, received a two-year severe prison sentence for his role in the Mardan incident at the Punjab Regimental Centre.
Muhammad Nabi’s son, Zahid Khan, was given a two-year severe prison sentence for his role in the PRC Mardan incident.
Muhammad Suleman, son of Said Ghani Jan, was found guilty of participating in the HQ Dir Scouts Timergara incident and given a two-year severe jail sentence.
Muhammad Azam’s son, Hamza Sharif, was given a two-year severe prison sentence for his role in the ISI Office Faisalabad incident.
Muhammad Salman, son of Zahid Nisar, was found guilty of participating in the ISI Office Faisalabad incident and given a two-year severe prison sentence.
Muhammad Arshad Butt’s son, Asher Butt, was given a two-year severe prison sentence for his role in the Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident.
Muhammad Waqas, son of Malik Muhammad Khalil, was found guilty of involvement in the Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident and given a two-year severe prison sentence.
Sufayan Idrees, son of Idrees Ahmed, was found guilty of participating in the Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident and given a two-year severe prison sentence.
Naveed Ahmed Butt’s son Muneeb Ahmed was given a two-year severe prison sentence for his involvement in the Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident.
Muhammad Ahmed, son of Muhammad Nazir, was found guilty of involvement in the Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident and given a two-year severe prison sentence.
Abdul Samad’s son, Muhammad Nawaz, was given a two-year severe prison sentence for his role in the Rahwali Gate Gujranwala incident.
Muhammad Ali, son of Muhammad Boota, was found guilty of participating in the ISI Office Faisalabad incident and given a two-year severe prison sentence.
For his role in the Jinnah House incident, Muhammad Bilawal, son of Manzoor Hussain, received a two-year severe prison sentence.
Muhammad Ilyas, son of Muhammad Fazal Haleem, was found guilty of participating in the HQ Dir Scouts Timergara incident and given a two-year severe jail sentence.
“All of them will be released once the formalities have been completed.”
According to the legislation and the constitution, “all those convicted retain the right of appeal and other legal remedies.”
“The remission of punishments is a testament to the strength of due process and fairness, which ensure that justice is served while also taking into account the principles of compassion and mercy,” the ISPR continued.
Following the army chief’s remittance of their sentences, 20 individuals convicted of the May 9 riots who had been imprisoned and had completed a significant portion of their sentences were also granted humanitarian pardons in April 2024.
The riots
Violent riots broke out nationwide on May 9, 2023, when PTI founder Imran Khan was briefly arrested. At least ten people were killed, hundreds were injured, and about 40 military stations and public buildings were damaged.
These included the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Office in Faisalabad, the FC Fort in Chakdara, the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar, the Toll Plaza at Swat Motorway, the Lahore Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House) and Askari Tower in Lahore, and the PAF Base Mianwali.
The nation suffered a total of Rs2.5 billion in costs due to 62 recorded episodes of violence, of which the state claims the army lost Rs1.98 billion. According to the military, the PTI leadership orchestrated the strike.
On October 13, 2023, a five-member bench unanimously ruled that the military trials of 103 civilians were invalid in a widely acclaimed decision.
The Supreme Court had ruled that criminal courts with sufficient authority constituted under the ordinary or special law of the nation would try the accused instead of military courts.
However, in a 5-1 majority decision on December 13, 2023, the SC conditionally stayed its own Oct. 23 ruling, albeit from a different bench, while it considered a series of intra-court appeals (ICAs) in order to await a final decision.
A six-member Supreme Court panel had also conditionally permitted military courts to issue reserved decisions in the cases in March 2024. Additionally, it changed the Dec. 13 injunction, stating that military tribunals could start proceedings but would not convict or acquit any suspects until the government-instituted ICAs were finished.
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