Barrister Gohar terms PTI sentencing a blow to democracy

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has sharply criticized the recent sentencing of PTI leaders in connection with the May 9 incidents, calling it a “dark day for democracy.”

He accused the government of weaponizing political cases in an effort to exclude PTI from the democratic process.

Addressing the media, Gohar condemned the convictions of party members, including leaders of the Sunni Ittehad Council, by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad.

He described the convicted individuals as law-abiding, democratic representatives who have always respected parliamentary procedures.

Gohar said that PTI has consistently operated within the framework of the Constitution and parliament. Despite this commitment to democratic norms, he noted that party leaders continue to be imprisoned without solid legal justification.

He called on the judiciary to uphold justice and revealed that the matter had been brought to the attention of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Read more: May 9 riots: ATC convicts 108 PTI workers, hands 10-year sentences to key leaders

Reiterating PTI’s rejection of violence, he stressed the party's continued preference for dialogue and reconciliation—principles upheld even after what he termed as the "theft" of PTI’s electoral mandate.

Warning of the consequences of ongoing political victimization, Gohar cautioned that public trust in the judiciary could be severely damaged.

“The current situation threatens to destabilize the entire democratic system,” he said, accusing certain forces of undermining national institutions from within.

Gohar confirmed that PTI would challenge the ATC verdicts in higher courts and hinted that the party may review its role in the existing political framework, with a formal announcement on its next steps expected soon.

In a significant legal development, the Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad has sentenced 167 individuals in two cases linked to the May 9 riots.

Prominent PTI figures, including Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, Senate Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz, MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and PTI leader Zartaj Gul, were all handed 10-year prison terms.

The court’s decision has further escalated tensions between the judiciary and PTI, with the party vowing to pursue all legal options to overturn what it terms "politically motivated" convictions.