Fawad Ch raises doubts over evidence in May 9 case

ISLAMABAD: Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has raised some serious questions over the credibility of evidence in the May 9 case, saying it’s all based on the statements of just three police constables, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Speaking in ARY News programme “Off The Record”, Fawad Chaudhry said that the government’s only case is solely based on the statements of three police constables.

He said that the entire leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was indicted in a baseless case.

Fawad Chaudhry criticised the government’s narrative, which relies on three police officers’ testimony who claim they were secretly present at the Zaman Park meeting where founder PTI Imran Khan allegedly ordered an attack on military installations.

Expressing doubts on the evidence, the former minister wondered how these cops could have gone unnoticed, asking if they were covered with an invisibility cloak.

Fawad Chaudhry denied any involvement of the PTI leadership, including Imran Khan, in the May 9 case.

Meanwhile, yesterday the Supreme Court (SC) questioned the ‘security lapse’ during the May 9 incidents while hearing intra-court appeals challenging the trial of civilians in military courts.

The bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard intra-court appeals challenging the decisions of military courts. The bench also comprised Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Naeem Akhtar Afghan, Musarrat Hilali, and Shahid Bilal Hassan.

Read more: SC wants to review evidence standards in military court trials

Justice Amin-ud-Din’s constitutional bench asked whether any resistance was offered when people entered the Lahore Corps Commander House on May 9.

Advocate Khawaja Haris, representing the Ministry of Defence, argued that the trial of civilians under military law is not unprecedented, citing legal provisions dating back to 1967. He stated that even during peacetime, civilians interfering in military matters could be tried in military courts.

Justice Hassan Azhar pointed out that cases like F.B. Ali occurred during martial law, emphasizing a distinction from the current scenario.

Justice Hassan Azhar questioned whether the mastermind behind the May 9 incidents had been identified and whether any trial against them was ongoing. Khawaja Haris confirmed that such cases would also fall under military jurisdiction.