Pakistan's defence minister says evidence against Imran Khan points towards military trial

Islamabad: Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the evidence against jailed former prime minister Imran Khan points towards a military trial in the cases concerning the violence on May 9 last year, a media report said on Sunday.

. Speaking to a private news channel on Saturday, Asif said that military trials had taken place before and will continue to do so in future as well, Geo News reported.

. "Evidence against founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party founder (Imran Khan) points towards military trial," Asif said.

.Pakistan’s ex-PM Imran Khan seeks acquittal under NAB amendments he criticised. His remarks come after 71-year-old Khan - fearing a military trial over his alleged involvement in the May 9 riots - filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to stop his potential trial in military courts.

. However, the IHC registrar's office raised objections over Khan's plea, saying that neither it mentioned any specific first information report (FIR) nor any documentation or order was attached to the petition and how a petition be filed in a high court while the matter of military trials is sub judice in the Supreme Court.

. It is not the first time that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) expressed such a possibility. Several leaders of the party have accused Khan of orchestrating the May 9, 2023 violence.

. On September 2, Asif had said that a military trial of Khan was "possible".

. He had said that during the Khan-led government, military trials of the civilians were held and he “remembers cases of 24 civilians” who went through the process of facing military court.

. On May 9 last year, violent protests erupted after the arrest of the PTI founder by paramilitary Rangers from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in connection with an alleged corruption case.

. His party workers allegedly vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander House), the Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad. A mob also attacked the Army headquarters in Rawalpindi.

. Khan's party has ruled out the possibility of him being subjected to a military trial.

.Arrest of Pakistan's ex-spy chief raises heat on Imran Khan. The Supreme Court in December 2023 suspended its October 23, 2023, order wherein it declared civilians' trials in military courts null and void in connection with the May 9 riots. The verdict was announced on intra-court appeals filed by the federal and provincial governments and the defence ministry against the top court's verdict.

. The December order stated that military court trials would be conditioned on the Supreme Court's final verdict on the intra-court pleas.

. Speaking on the issue, the defence minister said that he lacked access to the investigation related to the PTI founder as they were confidential.

. "The army was targeted in cities where demonstrations took place [...] This leads us [to believe] that some people were directing [rioters]," the politician said, recalling the May 9 events.

. The directions related to protests must've been of the PTI founder, he added.

. Asif also said that Lt Gen (retd.) Faiz Hameed, who was recently arrested, approached the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to become army chief.

. The former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been arrested over allegations of land grabbing and snatching valuables from the owner of a private housing society.

. "General (retd) Faiz wanted to become army chief, his name was in the list. He contacted the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) leadership and assured of his loyalty against support for his bid for army chief," Asif claimed, adding that the ex-ISI chief also gave certain guarantees as well.

. The minister said that following the appointment of Gen Asif Munir as army chief, Faiz's complaints intensified.

. "The general had an acquaintance with the PTI founder [and] he must be speaking about this following his arrest," the minister said, noting that the former spy chief would attempt to shift the blame on someone else.

. "He (Faiz) might say that even if he was part of the conspiracy then the objectives (of conspiracy) were of the PTI founder's and not his," Asif said.

. "Both of them tried to take over the country after losing power. Both failed to create an uprising within the military," he added.

. Khan was arrested on August 5 last year after his conviction in the first Toshakhana corruption case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Since then, he has been in jail in different cases.

Pakistan's defence minister says evidence against Imran Khan points towards military trial

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