Imran Khan's military trial 'possible', says Pakistan's defence minister

Islamabad, Sep 2 (PTI) Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that a military trial of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan was "possible" in the cases concerning the violence on May 9 last year.

"Yes, it is possible," Asif replied when asked during the Geo News programme 'Naya Pakistan' Sunday if a military trial of the former premier was possible.

He said that during the Imran 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.

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 May 9 last year, violent protests erupted after the arrest of 71-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party founder Khan 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.

However, the issue of the trial of civilians is stuck in the judicial intricacies as the civilian government had handed over at least 103 people to the military for trial for their role in attacks on the military facility.

However, the matter was challenged in the Supreme Court which last year ruled against the trial of civilians by the military tribunals. However, the government has filed a review against it and the apex court has not decided the matter.

It seems that the issue of the trial of Khan will linger on until the top court decides on the review petition.

Geo News reported that Asif rejected media reports about a PML-N meeting wherein party chief Nawaz Sharif directed his party to hold talks with all political parties including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to take the country out of the crisis.

He said that Nawaz did not even speak on politics in the said meeting let alone extending an olive branch to the Imran Khan-founded party.

"We concentrated on two topics only during the meeting, one on holding local bodies elections in Punjab and the other on bringing down electricity prices," he said.

Asif also said that unless the PTI apologised for the May 9 violent incidents, there would be no room for progress in the negotiations with them. “Accountability of the May 9 incidents should be held 200%,” he said.

He further maintained that the opposition party directly or indirectly expressing a desire for negotiations was devoid of sincerity.

The minister, while pointing towards Khan's erratic behaviour, said even PTI members did not trust Khan and lamented about his egoistic and opportunistic attitude.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered Khan's party to hold talks multiple times, Asif said, adding that the premier had even proposed the PTI to sign a charter of economy. However, neither the PTI founder nor any of his ministers responded to the proposal, he said.

"The PTI founder (then PM) sat turning his back towards the opposition with arrogance,” he said, stressing how his camaraderie with former army chief Gen (retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed were on peak at the time.

"Just a few months ago, PM Shehbaz Sharif walked the floor of the National Assembly to their seats. He shook hands with the entire PTI leadership,” he said, describing the prime minister’s amicable conduct with the opposition.

On the other hand, Asif said, the PTI kept insisting on holding talks with the establishment.

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. PTI SH ZH ZH