Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Hints at Military Trial for Former PM Imran Khan
Islamabad [Pakistan], September 2: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has suggested that former Prime Minister Imran Khan might face a military trial. Speaking on a private news channel, Asif emphasized that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) must apologize for the events of May 9, or there will be no dialogue.
Asif mentioned that during the PTI-led government, 24 civilian cases were tried in military courts, with many resulting in death sentences. He stated that if Imran Khan is tried in a military court, it would be an open trial to reveal the ‘negative’ intentions of the PTI founder.
Asif accused the PTI of attacking national institutions on May 9 and stressed the importance of an open trial to inform the public about PTI’s actions. He also noted that Imran Khan maintained a relationship with former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Faiz Hameed, even after May 9, due to their shared goals.
On May 9, PTI workers protested across Pakistan following Imran Khan’s arrest from the Islamabad High Court, which escalated into riots with attacks on military installations. Imran Khan, who served as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, has been in Adiala Jail since August 2023 on multiple charges, including the Toshakhana case and the cypher case. His wife, Bushra Bibi, is also imprisoned.
Although Imran Khan’s sentence in the Toshakhana case was suspended, and his convictions in the cypher and iddat cases were overturned, his chances of release diminished after the Lahore Police declared his arrest in various cases related to the May 9 riots.
Doubts Revealed
Defence Minister -: A Defence Minister is a government official in charge of a country’s military and defense matters. In this case, Khawaja Asif is the Defence Minister of Pakistan.
Military Trial -: A military trial is a legal process where members of the military or people accused of crimes against the military are judged by military officers instead of regular judges.
Former PM -: Former PM means someone who used to be the Prime Minister, the head of the government. Imran Khan was the Prime Minister of Pakistan before.
PTI -: PTI stands for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, a political party in Pakistan that was led by Imran Khan.
May 9 events -: The May 9 events refer to protests and riots that happened in Pakistan on May 9, 2023. These events led to many legal issues and arrests.
Civilian cases -: Civilian cases are legal cases involving regular people, not military personnel. These cases are usually tried in regular courts.
Military courts -: Military courts are special courts where military officers act as judges. They handle cases related to the military or national security.
Lahore Police -: Lahore Police is the police force responsible for maintaining law and order in Lahore, a major city in Pakistan.
Riots -: Riots are violent disturbances caused by a large group of people. They often involve damage to property and clashes with police.
