ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has downplayed the military’s decision to pardon 19 out of 67 convicts involved in the May 9, 2023, violent protests, calling it “not a major development.” Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Gohar emphasized that while 48 convicts had filed appeals, only 19 received clemency.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced the pardon on humanitarian grounds, noting that the remaining petitions would be decided through due legal process. The military also stressed the importance of “compassion and mercy” in its decision.
Gohar reiterated PTI’s opposition to civilian trials in military courts, referencing the Supreme Court’s earlier stance on the matter. He also highlighted the ongoing government-opposition talks, with PTI demanding the release of political prisoners and the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 events and the November 26 crackdown.
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The military trials, initially halted by the Supreme Court, resumed after a constitutional bench directed that pending cases be finalized.
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