ISLAMABAD: In a forceful condemnation of sweeping convictions, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced on Thursday it will challenge the verdicts in higher courts – but left open the possibility of a dramatic political exit, saying the decision to quit the assemblies rests with the party’s imprisoned founding chairman, Imran Khan.
Speaking at a press conference alongside senior leaders Asad Qaiser, Junaid Akbar Khan, and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan called the ATC verdicts “a darkest chapter in country’s democratic history.”
He continued that a final decision on whether to quit the assemblies would be made in consultation with Imran Khan, who remains behind bars.
Describing the situation as “systematic political persecution,” Gohar accused the state of targeting PTI to drive it out of democratic contention.
He said six PTI members of the National Assembly, three provincial legislators, one senator, and both opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate have been convicted on terrorism charges.
The party, he insisted, had chosen legal avenues over street protests. “We exercised restraint. But while we pursued justice, what we received were midnight trials and deaf ears,” he said. “Our patience has been met only with marginalisation.”
Gohar also criticised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), calling it “expired and weaponised.” He accused the body of disqualifying PTI lawmakers while operating beyond its constitutional term. “If we are being pushed out of the democratic process, Pakistanis deserve to know: who is pulling the strings?” he asked.
Despite the turmoil, PTI’s leadership struck a tone of defiance – and warning. “We still believe in the courts,” said Gohar. “But the courts must now prove that belief is not in vain. The future of democracy depends on it.”
Regarding whether PTI will remain in the legislature, Gohar said the answer lies with one man: Imran Khan. “Whether we stay in the assemblies or return to the streets, the decision will come soon,” he said. “But the country should prepare.”
The announcement came hours after an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad sentenced several senior PTI leaders – including opposition leaders in both the National Assembly and Senate – to 10 years in prison for their alleged roles in violent protests on 9 May 2023 following Imran Khan’s arrest.
Among those sentenced were Omar Ayub Khan, opposition leader in the National Assembly, and Senate opposition leader Shibli Faraz. Zartaj Gul and senior PTI figures including Asad Qaiser, Junaid Akbar Khan, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza also received decade-long sentences for allegedly attacking state property, including a police station in Faisalabad.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the PTI called the special ATC’s ruling a “travesty of justice” and accused the judiciary of being reduced to a “rubber stamp” for state repression.
The convictions, which also include sitting lawmakers, were condemned as part of a broader crackdown designed to thwart a major protest planned for August 5.
PTI warned that the courts risk becoming tools of political persecution, further eroding Pakistan’s international standing.
The party reiterated that it would not be intimidated, vowing to fight the “systematic oppression” through legal, political, and public avenues.
“This is not defeat,” the statement read, “but the beginning of a national resistance for justice and democracy.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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