Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has strongly condemned the violence that took place on May 9, calling it unacceptable then and now. He said, “We have condemned May 9 and continue to do so. It should not have happened and must never happen again.”
Barrister Gohar also confirmed reports of a phone call from the Chief Justice’s office to PTI leader Omar Ayub. He stated that the Chief Justice had sent a message seeking a meeting with Omar Ayub, but the latter was not present at the time. “We don’t yet know what Omar Ayub’s final decision will be regarding this meeting,” he added.
He clarified that Omar Ayub did not request any meeting himself. The Chief Justice likely wanted input on a letter Ayub had earlier sent. “There’s nothing unusual here. This isn’t the first time such outreach has happened,” Gohar said. He added that as opposition leader of a major party, it isn’t inappropriate for Ayub to receive such calls.
Gohar criticized the recent anti-terrorism court verdicts in Faisalabad that sentenced Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, and 194 others in connection with May 9 cases. He called the verdicts unfair and politically motivated, saying, “This is not justice. Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done.” He also said these convictions could derail the political system.
A special anti-terrorism court had sentenced 168 individuals to 10 years in prison in two separate May 9 cases. In another case involving an attack on a sensitive installation, 108 out of 185 suspects were convicted, while the rest were acquitted. In a third case, 28 were convicted and 4 acquitted. Gohar urged authorities not to use May 9 as a pretext to punish a political party or undermine democratic institutions.