ISLAMABAD, Dec 26/ISPR/Agencies/- Pakistan’s military courts have convicted 60 individuals involved in demonstrations supporting former Prime Minister Imran Khan, authorities announced on Thursday. The unrest followed Khan’s arrest on corruption charges, which his supporters claim are politically motivated, leading to widespread unrest, including attacks on military installations.
The military courts have sentenced 60 more civilians for participating in pro-Imran Khan unrest last year, following international outcry over earlier announced convictions.
Khan was arrested in May last year after being ousted from office and launching an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the nation’s powerful military leaders. His detention over graft allegations sparked nationwide unrest, with some incidents targeting military installations.
The military, which has ruled Pakistan directly for extended periods and still wields significant influence, announced last summer that it would try the accused in court martials closed to the public. The process remained largely opaque until Saturday, when the military announced the first 25 convictions, prompting condemnation from the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom.
“These military courts lack judicial independence, transparency, and due process guarantees,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Announcing 60 more convictions on Thursday, the military stated that the court martials had now concluded. All 85 men were sentenced to between two and ten years of “rigorous imprisonment.” The military did not specify their convictions, listing only the locations of their offenses.
“The Nation, Government, and the Armed Forces remain steadfast in their commitment to upholding justice and ensuring that the inviolable writ of the state is maintained,” a military statement said.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party reported that his nephew was among those convicted on Thursday, receiving a decade-long prison sentence.
“Conducting trials in military courts has undermined the fundamental rights of citizens,” Khan said, according to a summary of a conversation he had with lawyers and the press inside jail, released on X.
The UK government criticized Pakistan’s decision to convict civilians in military courts, stating it “lacks transparency, independent scrutiny, and undermines the right to a fair trial.” The European Union also expressed concerns, saying Pakistan is reneging on its international rights obligations, which guarantee public legal judgments.
However, Islamabad’s foreign ministry spokeswoman rejected the criticism, stating, “Pakistan’s constitution and legal systems have the capacity to resolve any issues that arise internally.”
Khan, a former cricket star, served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, when he was ousted by parliament in a no-confidence vote. His May 2023 detention lasted only a few days, but he was re-arrested three months later and has remained imprisoned since, facing numerous court cases he claims are politically motivated.
The 72-year-old was barred from running in the February elections, which were marred by rigging allegations. Meanwhile, PTI faced a sweeping crackdown following the unrest, with thousands of grassroots supporters and senior officials arrested. A coalition of parties considered close to the military establishment emerged as the new government.
