Pakistan’s election watchdog, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), has disqualified three prominent lawmakers from former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party following their convictions in anti-terror cases linked to the violent May 9, 2023 protests.
According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), those disqualified include:
- Malik Ahmed Khan Bachar, Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly (PP-87, Mianwali)
- Mohammad Ahmed Chattha, Member of the National Assembly from NA-66, Wazirabad
- Senator Ejaz Chaudhary, member of the upper house of Parliament
All three were sentenced to 10 years in prison earlier this month by an anti-terrorism court in Sargodha. The verdict is tied to their alleged role in organizing and inciting protests that followed Imran Khan’s arrest by paramilitary forces on corruption charges. The demonstrations turned violent in several parts of the country, including attacks on military sites and government buildings.
The May 9 unrest prompted a sweeping crackdown by the state, with thousands of PTI leaders and supporters detained, many under anti-terrorism laws. Some cases were controversially referred to military courts, a move criticized by rights groups and opposition parties.
The PTI has rejected the convictions and disqualifications, branding them as politically motivated. Party officials argue the actions are part of a broader campaign to dismantle PTI ahead of upcoming elections. However, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Law and Justice, Aqeel Malik, has defended the legal proceedings, stating they followed “all constitutional protocols.”
Tensions remain high, particularly in Punjab province, where PTI-affiliated lawmakers have been in repeated conflict with the ruling coalition. The party has also launched a nationwide 90-day protest campaign, which Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said would “peak” on August 5—marking two years since Khan’s arrest.
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s most popular opposition leader, remains incarcerated and faces multiple legal challenges as the political crisis in the country deepens ahead of elections.