IHC grants bail to 10 accused in May 10 protest case

ISLAMABAD: The sentence of 10 convicts was suspended by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), in May 10, 2023 protest case. The protest pertains to the arrest of former chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan.

The IHC also granted bail to the said convicts, and ordered their release on bonds of Rs25,000. IHC Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan issued the sentence suspension order.

Earlier in November 2024, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) had sentenced the accused to a total of five years and 10 months imprisonment. According to the FIR lodged, the said convicts are accused of attacking the police officials and burning a police post in Faizabad, Islamabad.

The IHC observed that according to the arrest records, not a single one of these 10 accused was arrested from the scene. According to their counsel, the accused were also acquitted of terrorism charges which led to their lenient sentences.

The lawyer had then requested suspension of sentences.

The IHC verdict said that according to the prosecutor, the trial court had examined CCTV and other evidence on which the sentence was issued. The prosecutor opposed the lawyer’s request to suspend the sentence of the convicts.

The IHC’s order also read that according to the charge sheet, five out of the 10 convicts are Afghan citizens. The court ordered the accused to submit their original identity cards to the Deputy Registrar to verify their citizenship.

In case they are proven to be Afghan citizens, the Deputy Registrar should keep the identity documents with him, the IHC said, while ordering all the appellants to appear before the court at every hearing.

MILITARY COURTS ISSUE PARDON

Earlier in January, the Military Courts also issued pardons for 19 convicts of May 9 events.  In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the during the case proceedings under trial at the military courts, the convicts had filed mercy petitions, while exercising their legal rights.

In total, 67 convicts had filed mercy petitions. Out of those, 48 petitions were sent for review in the “Courts of Appeal” for legal action. The petitions of 19 convicts were approved.