Imran: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif backs military trial of Imran Khan supporters held for rioting

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government, which has barely a couple of months left in office, has backed the powerful military’s move to prosecute under martial law Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf supporters and functionaries for attacks on security installations and assets in multiple cities last week following the arrest of ex-PM Imran Khan in an alleged graft case.
The government has validated the trial of rioters and arsonists under the Army Act and Official Secrets Act, as announced by the military’s media wing after a meeting of top generals Monday.

The move threw the country into a critical point with the military stepping into the political crisis. The military has directly ruled Pakistan for more than half of the 75 years since the country gained independence.
For the beleaguered PM and his alliance partners, support of the Army’s counterattack on PTI appears to be a safe option, considering the coalition’s reluctance to go into elections any time soon. The government has yet to implement the Supreme Court’s order to hold elections in Punjab province on May 14.
The PM tweeted Wednesday that the mutinous attack on the state, its symbols and sensitive installations were triggered by Imran’s speeches over the past year. “He has relentlessly maligned and attacked the armed forces and the sitting Army Chief and very cunningly prepared his cult with the slogans of “Haqeeqi Azadi” (real freedom) aimed at inciting them for violence we witnessed on May 9,” he posted on Twitter.

Imran has been demanding fresh elections since his ouster through a no-trust vote in April last year. He has depicted his removal and a litany of about 150 charges against him as part of a campaign against him by Shehbaz, the US and the Pakistani military—a claim all three deny.
The government’s support to military trial of PTI supporters held for rioting is seen as an attempt to tether Imran as it has failed to do so even after implicating him in cases related to sedition, murder, terrorism and corruption.
PTI’s success after the Supreme Court ordered Imran’s release was brief because more than 7,000 of its members, including senior functionaries, were put behind bars allegedly at the military’s behest.
Those set free have allegedly given an undertaking not to participate in PTI’s protests. The party also saw a flurry of resignations, including four lawmakers.
The defiant PTI chief, however, blamed intelligence agencies for orchestrating attacks on military and government assets. “We have ample evidence to present to any inquiry that the arson and, in some places, shootings were done by intelligence agencies men who wanted to cause mayhem and blame it on PTI to justify crackdown against it,” Imran said.