Pakistan Government Rejects Judicial Inquiry into May 9 Unrest

The Pakistan government has declined to form a judicial commission to investigate the May 9, 2023, violence following Imran Khan's arrest, citing ongoing trials. PTI has demanded the inquiry, warning of halting peace talks. The government plans to respond in further discussions, amid nationwide protests and arrests.

In a significant development, the Pakistan government has decided against establishing a judicial commission to investigate the violence that erupted on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of Imran Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Citing ongoing trial proceedings, the government firmly rejected PTI's demand for an inquiry, reported by ARY News.

According to sources, the government has prepared a formal response, stating that forming a commission on active cases is inappropriate. They emphasized that challans in the riot cases have been submitted and denied the presence of any political prisoners in Pakistan.

PTI, however, remains steadfast, setting a January 31 deadline for establishing the commission. PTI's Negotiation Committee member Sahibzada Hamid Raza, after meeting Imran Khan, stressed the need for an impartial inquiry by the country's most senior judges. Protests erupted across Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad, leading to military deployment and significant unrest.

(With inputs from agencies.)