Pakistan Courts Sentence Dozens From Imran Khan's Party
A Pakistani opposition leader was among more than three dozen members and supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan's party sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday, the government said.
The sentences were handed down by anti-terrorism courts in the eastern cities of Lahore and Sargodha after dozens were found guilty of involvement in anti-government riots when Khan was first arrested.
"Punjab Assembly's Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Bhachar has been awarded a 10-year sentence," deputy minister of law Aqeel Malik said in a press conference.
Bhachar helms the opposition in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous and politically influential province. Following Tuesday's verdict, he pledged on social media "not to abandon" support for Khan.
A spokesman for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party told AFP that Bhachar was not arrested until Tuesday evening.
In addition to Bhachar, a court in Sargodha also sentenced a sitting lawmaker, a former parliamentarian and 32 other supporters of PTI to 10 years each for attacking government buildings, Malik said.
Separately, a court in Lahore sentenced eight PTI members to 10 years in prison each for their involvement in riots in that city.
Those sentenced include former governor of Punjab province Omar Sarfraz Cheema, former provincial minister Yasmin Rashid, and Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhary, a sitting senator.
However, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was acquitted along with five others.
Khan, in office from 2018 to 2022, was initially arrested in May 2023, sparking nationwide unrest, some of which targeted military facilities.
Tuesday's sentences were handed down for attacks on police and civilian installations in Khan's home constituencies of Mianwali city and Lahore. Those accused of targeting military installations are facing separate trials in military courts.
PTI has vowed to challenge the verdicts in higher courts.
The prosecutions "expose a disturbing pattern of procedural impropriety, selective justice, and constitutional violations," said Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, the London-based spokesman for PTI.
He called the trials "political spectacles... that are being rushed through at breakneck speed — day-to-day hearings, even late-night sessions till 10:40 PM on a Saturday."
Khan has been jailed since August 2023 on a slew of corruption charges his party says are politically motivated.
His supporters and senior party leaders have also faced a severe crackdown, with thousands rounded up and Khan's name censored from television.
Last year, a UN panel of experts found that Khan's detention "had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him" from contesting elections.
Khan's popularity continues to undermine a shaky coalition government that kept PTI from power after the polls last year.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Pakistan and Bangladesh agree to visa-free travel for diplomats, officials
Pakistan and Bangladesh have agreed to an agreement to allow visa-free entry for people with diplomatic and official passports. The decision was announced on Wednesday after a high-level meeting in Dhaka between Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh's Home Minister Jahangir Alam to Pakistan's interior ministry, the two countries reached a mutual understanding to remove visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport significant breakthrough was achieved on the facilitation of visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports, and both countries reached a principled agreement on this matter," the ministry said in a statement. Although no date has been given for when the visa-free system will begin. In the meeting, officials also discussed issues like counterterrorism, internal security, police training, drug control, and efforts to combat human trafficking. A joint committee will be created to manage and coordinate new plans. Pakistan's Interior Secretary Khurram Agha will lead the team from countries agreed to start exchange programs for police academies. A delegation from Bangladesh is expected to visit Pakistan's National Police Academy in Islamabad Home Minister welcomed Naqvi with a guard of honour and described the visit as important for future cooperation. "Your visit is of great significance for strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries," he said, according to the Pakistani START FOR BANGLADESH-PAKISTAN RELATIONSTies between Pakistan and Bangladesh have long been shaped by painful memories of the 1971 war, which led to Bangladesh's independence. For many years, relations remained cold, marked by mistrust and few high-level exchanges. Bangladesh maintained closer ties with India, its wartime ally and strong economic partner, while Pakistan struggled to rebuild the decades, the relationship between Pakistan and Bangladesh has been defined by the scars of the 1971 war — a conflict that led to the birth of Bangladesh. While Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation with India's strong support during the war, ties with Pakistan remained tense and distant. High-level meetings were rare, and mistrust lingered. In the years that followed, Dhaka maintained closer ties with India -- its wartime ally and key economic partner -- while Pakistan struggled to rebuild the the circumstances changed after the fall of Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. She later fled to India, and since then, Dhaka's ties with New Delhi have deteriorated due to political tensions and border change has opened the door for a fresh start between Islamabad and Dhaka. The last major Pakistani visit to Bangladesh took place earlier this year when Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch visited Dhaka to push for stronger regional ties.- EndsWith inputs from PTI
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
PM Modi arrives in London, key India-UK trade deal on agenda
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in London on Thursday for two-day visit to the United Kingdom. Announcing his arrival, PM Modi says the visit would advance the economic partnership between India and the UK. PM Modi has arrived in London.(X/@narendramodi) "The focus will be on furthering prosperity, growth and boosting job creation for our people. A strong India-UK friendship is essential for global progress," a part of his tweet read. What's on agenda? The formal signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the UK would be the key highlight of PM Modi's visit. He will hold a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and discuss the bilateral ties between the two countries. The agreement was signed on May 6 and will reportedly be signed by the commerce ministers of India and UK, Piyush Goyal and Jonathan Reynolds, respectively. The FTA will help India massively in terms of tariff, with 99 per cent Indian exports likely to benefit from tariff. As part of the trade deal, it will also be easier for British firms to export whisky, cars and other products to India. While in the UK, PM Modi will be hosted by Starmer at Chequers, the British PM's residence located 50 km northwest of London, people familiar with the matter earlier said. The Prime Minister's visit aims at both India and the UK reviewing the progress of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). Trade and economy, technology, defence, climate, health and education will be some of the focus areas. Besides, PM Modi will also meet King Charles III, before heading to the Maldives for his visit on July 25-26. Interaction with Indian community Upon his arrival in London, PM Modi interacted with some members of the Indian community there, who had been waiting for him. The Indian diaspora expressed joy upon meeting the Prime Minister, and wished him well for the visit. "I just met the PM. He walked past us. It was a surreal moment. I got to shake my hand. He is so dynamic... It was an amazing experience," Gehna Gautam, an Indian diaspora member was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. "The Prime Minister shook my hand and gave me 'Ashirwad'. It was the best feeling ever...," said Bhavya, another member. Some members of the Dawoodi Bohra community also seemed excited to meet the PM. As Dawoodi Bohras, we are very proud of the relationship that the Prime Minister has with our community. He's been a friend of our community for many years. And as a proud Dawoodi Bohra and as a British citizen, we welcome him to the UK and look forward to meeting him..." a member said. Catherine West, UK Foreign Office Minister in charge of the Indo-Pacific, received PM Modi at the London airport. Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami and British High Commissioner to New Delhi Lindy Cameron accompanied her, reported news agency PTI.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
As PM begins two-day UK visit today, sealing trade deal on agenda
Bolstering economic and security cooperation will be a common thread linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visits to Britain and the Maldives beginning on Wednesday, with the formal signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) set to be the highlight of the trip to the UK. PM Narendra Modi meets his British counterpart Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada last month. (PTI) Modi will first travel to the UK during July 23-24 for meetings with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III, and then to the Maldives during July 25-26 to be the guest of honour at the Indian Ocean archipelago's Independence Day celebrations. Both visits are opportunities to strengthen ties in a wide range of areas, especially trade, investment, defence and security, foreign secretary Vikram Misri told a media briefing on Tuesday. Starmer is expected to host Modi at Chequers, the country residence of the British prime minister located 50 km northwest of London, people familiar with the matter said. The commerce ministers of the two sides – Piyush Goyal and Jonathan Reynolds – are expected to sign the FTA that was finalised on May 6, the people said on condition of anonymity. The FTA is expected to increase two-way trade from the current level of almost $58 billion by $34 billion in the long run, according to a fact sheet from the UK. India will get tariff elimination on 99% of its tariff lines under the deal, covering nearly 100% of trade value. The UK will get reduced tariffs on 90% of British tariff lines, including the cutting of levies on whisky, automobiles, lamb and medical devices. Labour-intensive sectors such as Indian textiles and apparel will get a competitive advantage against countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam. Under the Double Contribution Convention, there will be an exemption for employers of Indian workers from paying social security contributions in the UK for three years, making it significantly easier to send workers on posting to Britain. Misri said that since the FTA was announced by Modi and Starmer on May 6, the two sides have engaged in the legal scrubbing of the deal. 'Last-minute work on that is continuing,' he said. The UK is the sixth largest investor in India, with cumulative investments of $36 billion. India's investments in the UK are close to $20 billion, and some 1,000 Indian companies operating in Britain provide employment to almost 100,000 people and have cumulative revenues of $91 billion. Technology, research, innovation and education have emerged as other key pillars of India-UK cooperation and the prime ministers will review cooperation in these fields, Misri said. The India-UK Technology Security Initiative, finalised last year, has driven collaboration in telecom, critical minerals, AI, biotechnology, semiconductors and quantum computing. Following the University of Southampton opening a campus in Gurugram last week, thus becoming the first foreign varsity to set up a campus under India's new education policy, several other British institutions are considering establishing campuses in the country. The British side perceives the FTA, finalised three years after negotiations began in January 2022, as part of a wider political reset and building on the bilateral road map 2030. The British side also expects the trade deal to lead to a wider relationship of trust between the two sides and to drive collaboration in key areas such as defence, especially with India set to spend a significant amount on its armed forces in the coming years. The British side is understood to have put in place extensive security arrangements to avert any attempt by pro-Khalistan elements to disrupt the visit or organise protests, including the sensitisation of security agencies to Indian concerns. Both sides are keen to avoid a repeat of an incident in March, when a pro-Khalistan protester breached the security of external affairs minister S Jaishankar in London and got close to his vehicle. Misri told the briefing that the presence of Khalistani extremists in the UK should be a matter of concern to the British side as such elements impact 'social cohesion and social order' in that country. Modi will travel from the UK to the Maldives, where he will be the first foreign head of government to be hosted by President Mohamed Muizzu. Modi's presence as guest of honour at the Maldivian Independence Day celebrations will mark a significant turnaround in bilateral ties that turned frosty because of the policies of Muizzu, who came to power on the back of an 'India Out' campaign in late 2023. Misri attributed the turnaround in ties to India's working hard on the relationship. 'There will always be events that will impact or try to intrude on the relationship. But I think this is testimony to the kind of attention that has been paid to the relationship, including attention at the highest levels…We've continued to work at it, and I think the result is there for you to see,' he said. The Maldives is a 'very important partner' in India's Neighborhood First policy MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision, Misri said. 'We have always been the first on hand to respond to the needs of Maldives in times whenever it has faced has been a robust political relationship…bolstered by regular visits at high levels,' he said. The joint vision for a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership adopted during Muizzu's visit to India last October 2024 has become the 'guiding framework' for ties, and India is one of the largest trade partners of the Maldives, with two-way trade worth almost $500 million. Both sides are engaged in discussions for an FTA and an investment treaty and new areas of cooperation include renewable energy and fisheries. India is executing several development projects in the Maldives through a mix of concessional lines of credit and buyer's credit facilities, with the flagship project being the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, which will connect four islands. Misri said the Maldives has almost completely drawn a currency swap arrangement for $400 million provided as emergency financial assistance and is set to draw upon another currency swap arrangement of ₹30 billion. The State Bank of India has also continued to re-subscribe to Maldives treasury bills. The two sides also have robust defence and security cooperation, including naval exercises, and India continues to assist the Maldives by training its defence personnel. 'We've been helping the Maldives enhance its capacity for EEZ surveillance and maritime domain awareness through the provision of ships and assets,' he said.
