Islamabad
The caretaker government has taken a significant step towards unraveling the events of May 9, 2023, by forming a five-member committee tasked with identifying the “role of mastermind, planners, facilitators, and executors” of the incidents that unfolded nationwide following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.
The incidents, characterised by widespread violence, protests, and vandalism, occurred after Khan’s arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) at the Islamabad High Court in the Al Qadir Trust case.
The military, describing the events of May 9 as a “dark chapter”, had announced its intention to try the rioters under relevant laws, including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act. This decision was endorsed by the National Security Committee, the country’s principal decision-making forum on foreign policy and national security, despite opposition from rights organisations and activists.
Since then, numerous individuals, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activists, have undergone trials in military courts. Several party leaders have also resigned from the PTI, expressing condemnation for the violence on the day of Khan’s arrest and the subsequent attacks on military installations.
In addition to ongoing legal proceedings, the caretaker government has now established a committee to thoroughly investigate the incidents of May 9.
According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Saturday, the five-member committee will include the minister for law and justice, minister for interior, minister for information and broadcasting, minister for human rights, and “any co-opted member to address any issue emanating during the proceedings of the committee.”
The terms of references (ToRs) for the committee, as mentioned in the notification, include the examination of the May 9 incidents to ascertain the identity and role of masterminds, planners, facilitators, and executors. The committee is also mandated to analyse the causes, determine responsibility for the events, and evaluate their immediate and long-term implications.
Furthermore, the committee is tasked with suggesting preventive measures to ensure that a breach of national security of such magnitude is not repeated. Under the ToRs, the committee is required to recommend measures to strengthen the existing legal regime to deter similar recurrences.
The Ministry of Interior is set to provide secretarial support to the committee, which has been instructed to submit its comprehensive report for consideration by the cabinet within a period of 14 days.
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