Islamabad (Web Desk): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday suspended the prison sentences of ten people who were convicted for their involvement in the violent protests that took place on May 10, 2023, following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former premier Imran Khan.
A division bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan ruled to suspend the sentences and grant the convicts bail, provided they submit surety bonds worth Rs25,000 each.
These individuals had previously been sentenced to a total of nearly six years in prison by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in November 2024.
They were accused of attacking police officers and setting fire to a checkpoint at Islamabad’s Faizabad Interchange during the unrest.
However, the IHC pointed out that the records did not indicate any of the defendants had been arrested at the scene of the protest.
The defense team argued that the trial court had already acquitted the accused of terrorism-related charges, instead convicting them for lesser offenses.
They stressed that none of the accused were arrested directly from the site of the protest, casting doubt on the conviction.
In contrast, the prosecution maintained that the trial court’s decision was backed by forensic evidence and CCTV footage, which they argued was sufficient to secure the guilty verdict.
Among the ten convicts, five were identified as Afghan nationals. The court directed that their identity documents be verified by the deputy registrar, with the additional condition that if any of the accused were found to be Afghan citizens, their documents would be retained.
As the legal proceedings continue, the convicts have been ordered to appear for future hearings as their appeals are reviewed.