At one level, the table is being cleared before the talks between the PTI and the government. AAt another level, PTI founder Imran Khan is having his patience tested. With the conviction and sentencing of 85 of those accused of involvement in the attacks on 9 May 2023, the courts martial have carried out the permission given by the Supreme Court to carry out the trials, which had earlier been stopped. However, it is not to be assumed that the last has been heard of the matter, for the establishment wants the ‘mastermind’ of these attacks tried. The material which has come out so far has indicated that the May 9 attacks were actually carefully planned, and designed to have led to a coup. That ‘mastermind’ is supposed to be Mr Khan, and though he has been nominated in cases related to May 9, none of those cases lies with a military court, and he has been bailed in those cases by the concerned anti-terrorism courts. With the PTI saying it intends to appel these convictions, it is almost as it the legal battle hs just been joined.
However, if there was any attempt to try him, it would lead, perhaps irretrievably, to breakdown of the talks process. The limit to which the PTI leader is being tested is by the 10-year sentence handed down to Mr Khan’s nephew, Hassan Niazi. While Mr Niazi made himself prominent by waving around the trousers of the Corps Commander Lahore, he also focused the attention of investigators on himself. While his conviction and sentence will demonstrate to the military that justice has been done, it will also show Mr Khan what could happen to him. It should not be forgotten that not only are there still May 9 charges he must answer, but the verdict in the Al-Qadir Trust case has been reserved, with the court having postponed pronouncing it twice.
There can be no justification for the desecration of military symbols on May 9. Punishment and trial should not simply become a political tool, and should not be used to make one side talk. Forcing any side to talks is always counterproductive. Holding a Damocles’ sword over anyone’s head never yields the results sought after. If Mr Khan should be tried, he should be. If not, he should not.
