Pakistani Interior Minister Threatens Khan With Military Tribunal - Reports

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st May, 2023) Pakistani Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has threatened opposition leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan with a military tribunal over violent mass protests, which occurred in the country on May 9 following Khan's arrest, Pakistani media reported on Tuesday.

On May 9, Khan was taken into custody on corruption charges. Following the arrest, his supporters started mass protests across the country, which resulted in violent clashes with the police and attacks on government and military facilities. At least eight people died during the protests and about 290 were injured.

"Absolutely, why shouldn't he (stand trial)? The program that he made to target the military installations and then had it executed, in my understanding absolutely is a case of a military court," Sanaullah said when asked by reporters if Khan would be tried by a military court, according to Dawn newspaper.

The police of Punjab province had detected over 400 phone calls made by Khan and other leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposition party to incite protesters to go to military facilities in the city of Lahore, the newspaper said.

Pakistani media reported last week that 33 people suspected of involvement in the riots had been transferred to military courts. Khan asked the Supreme Court to declare the application of military laws to the actions of civilians in peacetime illegal.