Islamabad, Sept 10: Pakistan Information Minister Atta Tarar on Monday said that any decision about the military trial of jailed former premier Imran Khan would be made considering the merit of the case.
Tarar said this at a press conference a day after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders while addressing a public rally in Islamabad demanded the government to release Khan, who has been imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for more than a year.
“The decision of the military trial of Khan will be made on merit based on evidence,” the minister said in response to a question.
Top government officials have been indicating holding a military trial of Khan for his alleged involvement in the May 9, 2023, violence when alleged PTI supporters had attacked military buildings in reaction to his arrest.
However, the issue of holding military trials of civilians is pending with the Supreme Court for final adjudication and the cases of more than a hundred civilians, who were handed over to military authorities after violence, have also lingered on.
In the first public rally in Islamabad after the February 8 elections, the PTI leaders asked the government to release Khan.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, belonging to PTI, went a step ahead and warned the government to set Khan free within two weeks or the party would forcibly get him released.
“If the founder of PTI is not legally released within one to two weeks, we will have him freed ourselves,” the chief minister said, declaring that he would take the lead and take the first bullet to get Khan out of jail.
Khan’s party on Sunday held a power show, demanding his immediate release while slamming the government for its crackdown on the party as police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The rally — postponed twice in the last two months — was held near Sangjani Cattle Market in the suburbs of Islamabad after the capital administration issued a no-objection certificate (NOC).
Thousands of PTI supporters attended the rally, proving that the party’s power base was intact despite several hurdles it faced, including the incarceration of its 71-year-old founder.
Khan was arrested on August 5 last year after his conviction in the Toshakhana corruption case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Since then, he has been in jail in different cases. On Sunday, Khan completed 400 days in prison. (PTI)
