A court in eastern Pakistan has handed 10-year prison sentences to opposition leader Omar Ayub and nearly 200 supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan for their alleged roles in the 2023 riots sparked by Khan’s arrest, officials said Thursday.

The verdict, delivered in the city of Faisalabad in Punjab province, covers three separate cases involving 196 individuals. The charges stem from the nationwide violence that broke out on May 9, 2023, following Khan’s detention.

Although the unrest eased after Khan’s release under a Supreme Court order, a lower court convicted him in August 2023. Since then, he has not been seen in public, and several of his supporters have faced prosecution in military courts.

Among those sentenced on Thursday were at least six members of the National Assembly and a senator from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

“They were accused of attacking military personnel, government buildings, and vehicles during the riots,” said defense lawyer Changaiz Kakar. He noted this was the first time such a large number of political activists had been sentenced collectively, adding that appeals would be lodged against the convictions.

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PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan condemned the rulings, calling the cases “fabricated.” He said the timing of the verdicts—just before planned rallies marking the third anniversary of Khan’s conviction—was politically motivated.

Imran Khan was removed from office in 2022 through a no-confidence vote led by current Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Following his ouster, Khan accused the military and Sharif of conspiring against him under a U.S.-backed plot—allegations both parties have rejected.

Source: Agency