PTI may boycott parliament over May 9 verdicts: Barrister Gohar

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has said the party is considering whether to boycott Parliament or launch a political movement after several senior leaders were convicted in May 9 cases on Thursday, Express News reported.

Speaking at an emergency press conference alongside Asad Qaiser, Junaid Akbar Khan, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and others, Gohar described the day as a sad one for democracy. “Our mandate was stolen, our leader imprisoned, and the doors of justice closed on us,” he said.

Gohar said PTI still believes in democratic and constitutional politics and not confrontation. However, he hinted that the party may soon be forced to decide between parliamentary boycott or launching a mass movement.

“The final decision will be made by our leadership very soon, and we will present this matter before Imran Khan,” he said.

When two parties are in conflict, all eyes turn to the judiciary. We seek only justice,” he maintained, calling for reason and fairness.

Gohar accused authorities of targeting PTI through “relentless injustice and unequal treatment.” He stated that six MNAs, three MPAs, one senator, and the opposition leaders of both the National Assembly and Senate have been handed down sentences.

He added that even leaders like Sunni Ittehad Council head Hamid Raza and PTI’s Zartaj Gul had been singled out. “We tried our best to keep democracy running, to keep Parliament functioning, but oppression and discrimination have not stopped,” he said.

Read More: ATC hands Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, top PTI leaders 10 years in prison

Gohar reiterated that the PTI leadership had always supported the system and refrained from launching street protests. “Despite all our efforts, PTI is being pushed to the wall,” he added.

He also criticised the judiciary for delays in hearing petitions filed since 2023, noting that “trials are conducted in courts until 2 am, yet our cases remain undecided.”

Turning his ire toward the Election Commission, Gohar said it had outlived its constitutional term and questioned the continued disqualification of elected PTI representatives. “If PTI is being ousted from the system, then the question arises—who is behind this?”

Earlier, ATC in Faislabad sentenced top Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders to up to 10 years in prison in cases pertaining to May 9 protests.

Also Read: ECP disqualifies three PTI lawmakers

Opposition leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub, Opposition Leader in Senate Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza and former MNA Sheikh Rashid Shafiq were among the 108 PTI leaders convicted out of the 185 implicated in the cases while 77 others were acquited.

Around 60 of those convicted, including Faraz, Ayub, Gul and Raza, were sentenced to 10 years in prison each while other convicts were each handed prison terms of three years.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry was acquitted along with Zain Qureshi, Khayal Kastro, Faizullah Kamoka, Rana Asad Mehmood Khan, Bilal Ashraf Basra, Haroon Rasheed, Amara Rasheed, Sahibzada Hassan Raza, and Kamran Warraich.