Imran Khan Likely to be Tried Under Army Act and Official Secrets Act in Pakistan Military Court

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan is likely to be tried under Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act in a military court for his alleged involvement in the May 9 incidents in which military and state installations were attacked by his party workers, top Pakistan military sources told News18.

The decision was reportedly taken in a meeting chaired by Pakistan Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, where the top brass discussed purported evidence against Khan, including how targets for the attack were allegedly selected at his residence on May 8.

“The military’s top brass has said that unfounded and baseless allegations against security forces are aimed at misleading the people and maligning armed forces. It’s time to fix and tighten up the noose of law around masterminds who rebelled against state, the top military brass vowed,” a source told News18.

The source confirmed that the military has collected concrete evidences and taken testimonies from detained military officers who helped PTI workers and politicians on May 9.

The source added that the targets were selected on May 8 at Imran Khan’s residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park. “The meeting was chaired by party chairman Imran Khan and attended by PTI politicians Yasmeen Rashid, Hammad Azhar, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Ejaz Chaudhry, and Mian Mehmood Rasheed,” the source said.

The trial of people involved in the attacks on military installations in different parts of the country, including the attack on General Headquarters in Rawalpindi as well as Lahore’s Jinnah House where the Corps Commander was residing, has already begun.

Imran Khan has denied his involvement in the violence, saying he was in jail when the incidents took place. He has said that the establishment plans to keep him in jail for 10 years in a sedition case.

On May 9, violent protests erupted after the arrest of Khan by paramilitary Rangers in Islamabad. His party workers vandalised over 20 military installations and government buildings, including the Lahore Corps Commander House, Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad. The Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi was also attacked by the mob for the first time. Khan was later released on bail.

The violence elicited a strong reaction from the government and military with vows of taking action against the culprits, leading to an ongoing crackdown against those involved.

Law enforcement agencies have arrested over 10,000 workers of Khan’s Pakistan party across Pakistan, 4,000 of them from Punjab. Police put the death toll in violent clashes to 10 while Khan’s party claims 40 of its workers lost their lives in the firing by security personnel.

The Punjab Police had previously claimed, citing a geo-fencing report, that Khan and his close aides allegedly coordinated efforts to storm the residence of the Lahore Corps Commander and other buildings.