The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced that it has pardoned 19 of the 67 convicts who submitted mercy petitions.
ISPR mentioned examining the outstanding petitions and will reach decisions based on the legal framework. After fulfilling the necessary procedural steps, authorities will free those whose appeals have been granted.
In a related statement, the ISPR referenced the release of 20 convicts in April 2024 on humanitarian grounds, highlighting the adherence to due process and fairness, which ensures justice while incorporating principles of compassion and mercy.
The pardoned individuals, all originally sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment on various charges, were among those convicted on December 21 and December 26, 2024. The military court had initially sentenced 25 individuals, followed by another 60 people a few days later. This second group included Hassan Khan Niazi, nephew of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who received a 10-year sentence for his involvement in the Jinnah House incident.
| Name | Son of | Sentence Duration | Involved Incident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muhammad Ayaz | Sahibzada Khan | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Main Gate FC Cantt Peshawar |
| Sami Ullah | Meer Dad Khan | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Bannu Cantt |
| Laeeq Ahmed | Manzoor Ahmed | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | ISI Office Faisalabad |
| Amjad Ali | Manzoor Ahmed | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | ISI Office Faisalabad |
| Yasir Nawaz | Ameer Nawaz Khan | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan |
| Said Alam | Maaz Ullah Khan | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Punjab Regimental Centre Mardan |
| Zahid Khan | Muhammad Nabi | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | PRC Mardan |
| Muhammad Suleman | Said Ghani Jan | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | HQ Dir Scouts Timergara |
| Hamza Sharif | Muhammad Azam | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | ISI Office Faisalabad |
| Muhammad Salman | Zahid Nisar | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | ISI Office Faisalabad |
| Asher Butt | Muhammad Arshad Butt | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Rahwali Gate Gujranwala |
| Muhammad Waqas | Malik Muhammad Khalil | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Rahwali Gate Gujranwala |
| Sufayan Idrees | Idrees Ahmed | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Rahwali Gate Gujranwala |
| Muneeb Ahmed | Naveed Ahmed Butt | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Rahwali Gate Gujranwala |
| Muhammad Ahmed | Muhammad Nazir | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Rahwali Gate Gujranwala |
| Muhammad Nawaz | Abdul Samad | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Rahwali Gate Gujranwala |
| Muhammad Ali | Muhammad Boota | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | ISI Office Faisalabad |
| Muhammad Bilawal | Manzoor Hussain | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | Jinnah House |
| Muhammad Ilyas | Muhammad Fazal Haleem | 2 years rigorous imprisonment | HQ Dir Scouts Timergara |
The arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a 2023 corruption case triggered the May 9 riots, leading to assaults on public and military installations, including the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and the Lahore corps commander’s house, known as Jinnah House. After a Supreme Court ruling initially halted military trials, the constitutional bench directed the completion and judgment announcements for cases involving participants in these violent incidents.
The PTI has distanced itself from the violent protests, called for a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 events, and announced intentions to challenge the military court convictions, denouncing them as severe injustices to civilian trial processes.
Read: Imran Khan’s Nephew Among 60 Sentenced by Military Court for May 9 Riots
These sentences have caught international attention, with the United States and the European Union raising concerns. The EU has demanded the public disclosure of the verdicts, pointing out their inconsistency with Pakistan’s commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Meanwhile, Washington has critiqued the military courts for lacking judicial independence, transparency, and due process.
