Pak’s Punjab govt not considering sending Imran Khan’s cases to military court trial

Lahore: Pakistan’s Punjab government on Friday said at the moment it is not considering sending the cases of former prime minister Imran Khan to military court for trial.

These remarks were made by Punjab Law Minister Malik Sohaib Ahmad Barth during a press conference in Lahore on Friday.

“Currently no proposal is under consideration in the Punjab Cabinet or Punjab Law Department to send Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder leader Khan’s cases to military court,” Barth said.

He said no request/proposal has come from the military to the Punjab government. Earlier, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said if needed the Punjab government of Maryam Nawaz would decide to refer Imran Khan’s cases to a military court.

“The prosecution of May 9 cases is being carried out by the Punjab government and it will decide whether to refer them to military courts or not.”

Similarly, a spokesperson for Shehbaz Sharif’s government in the Centre on legal affairs Barrister Aqeel Malik claimed that Khan’s cases concerning the violence on May 9 might go to military courts.

“The events and vandalism seen on May 9 invited the application of the Army Act since military installations were attacked. It is entirely possible that Imran Khan’s trial is held in a military court and the reason for that is because the Army Act will be applicable,” Malik said.

Imran Khan has been incarcerated at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi since August last year in multiple cases. He is currently facing over 200 cases.

The government has accused him of being a mastermind of the May 9, 2023 riots following his arrest in a corruption case in which dozens of military installations were vandalized and torched. The government intends to hold Khan’s military trial on May 9 events. PTI MZ