Justice Rizvi questions severity of May 9 riots compared to past terrorist attacks in military trial case

Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi questioned whether the crimes from the May 9, 2023 riots were more serious than past terrorist incidents. This inquiry arose during a Supreme Court case regarding military trials of civilians involved in attacks on military installations. On December 13, 2023, the court allowed military courts to issue verdicts for 85 civilians still in custody. Recently, 85 civilians received prison sentences ranging from two to ten years for their roles in the riots following the arrest of ex-premier Imran Khan. The Constitutional Bench is reviewing appeals against a previous ruling that declared military trials of civilians unconstitutional. The bench is examining why these civilians were tried in military courts instead of anti-terrorism courts, raising concerns about the separation of powers.