“His only crime was choosing truth:” says daughter-in-law of army officer sentenced in May 9 cases

Military courts on Thursday sentenced 60 individuals, including Imran Khan’s nephew, two retired army and PAF officers involved in the May 9 riots. Among those sentenced was Brigadier (retd) Javed Akram, a recipient of the Sitara-e-Imtiaz. His daughter-in-law, Advocate Faiza Murad, condemned the verdict, calling his trial “unconstitutional.”

Following the military court's conviction of Imran Khan's supporters, Faiza took to X to express her belief that her father-in-law had been sentenced unfairly, given his lifelong service to the country and the principles he upheld.

“Today, my 76-year-old father-in-law, Brigadier (retd) Javed Akram, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, was sentenced to six years in prison after an unjust and unconstitutional military trial,” her post read.

Faiza also revealed that her father-in-law had been pressured to break his political allegiance and give a "false testimony." Despite this, he remained steadfast and endured 20 months in solitary confinement.

“This is a man who dedicated his life to serving his country with honor and unwavering integrity. A decorated officer, a patriot, and a man of conscience. His only crime was choosing truth over compromise, and for that, he has been made to suffer,” Faiza’s post continued.

She vowed to make every effort to challenge Brigadier (retd) Javed Akram’s sentence and seek justice, asserting that he was “unlawfully” imprisoned as a result of “illegal military trials.”

A video allegedly showing Brigadier (R) Javed Akram at the protest site on May 9 circulated on social media. In the video, he can be seen filming himself at Jinnah House while the destruction and fires caused by the protestors are visible in the background, with a PTI flag draped around his neck.

The military court sentenced 60 more individuals involved in the May 9, 2023, Jinnah House attack, according to a report from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday.

Among those sentenced, Hassan Khan Niazi, son of Hafizullah Niazi, received 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for his role in the attack on Jinnah House.

Earlier, military courts sentenced 25 individuals involved in the May 9 riots.

The suspects were accused of attacking state installations and engaging in violence and vandalism during protest after the arrest of the former prime minister Imran Khan in 2023. 

The United States and the United Kingdom raised concerns over the assurance of justice and fairness in the military court trials of PTI workers in May 9 cases. Their statements followed similar reservations expressed by the European Union regarding the lack of transparency in such trials.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had announced to challenge the verdict, labeling the sentences 'unconstitutional.'