May 9 Riots
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has recently rejected a request from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, led by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, to establish a judicial commission to investigate the riots that occurred on May 9 of last year.
These riots were sparked by the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in a corruption case.
In response to the KP government’s formal request for a judicial commission, the PHC’s registrar issued a statement indicating that the proposal could not be considered.
The registrar cited a violation of the Rules of Business of 1985 as the reason for the dismissal.
This decision comes after the KP government had formally approached Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim of the PHC last month, seeking an investigation into the violent events of May 9.
The riots led to the vandalism of several military installations, including the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and the Lahore Corps Commander’s House, by rampaging mobs.
The issue of accountability for the May 9 riots has been a contentious one. Both the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, led by then-Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the current administration have repeatedly accused PTI of orchestrating the disturbances.
This accusation has been firmly denied by PTI, with Imran Khan stating that he would take punitive measures against PTI members if they were found responsible for the riots.
The military has also voiced its demand for legal action against those responsible for the riots to maintain the integrity and trust in the country’s justice system.
Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), reiterated the military’s stance on the matter during a press conference held on May 7, 2024.
He emphasized that the army’s position on the events of May 9 remained unchanged.
The KP government’s request, confirmed by provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam Afridi, had sought the nomination of judges for the proposed judicial commission in accordance with a decision made by the KP cabinet on June 27.
The Advocate General for KP, Shah Faisal Uthmankhel, had indicated that the KP government would provide the names of the judges once the commission was constituted.
The Terms of Reference for the commission were to be developed subsequently to facilitate a thorough investigation into the May 9 incidents.
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