Islamabad: Pakistan’s Punjab government on Friday submitted a report to the Supreme Court detailing the number of people arrested in the province following the May 9 violence after the top court summoned the records of hundreds of alleged rioters, including women and journalists, in custody.
The report, submitted as the top court on Friday resumed hearing, showed that detention orders for 2,258 people were issued under the Maintenance of Public Order, adding that 21 were in jail, Dawn News reported.
The report, submitted by the Punjab advocate general, also showed that 1,888 people had been arrested in 51 terrorism cases, adding that 500 had been discharged while 232 were on bail.
It further said that 4,119 had been arrested in 247 other cases, adding that 1,201 people had been discharged while 3,012 were on bail.
The report by the Punjab government, however, did not include the data of minors, journalists, lawyers or those in custody.
The government has decided to try civilians under the Army Act after enraged protesters belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party vandalised army installations following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.
A seven-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial is hearing the pleas against military trials. The bench had on Thursday ignored a request to issue an interim or a stay order to stop the trial of civilians in the military courts, saying it was not possible without hearing the arguments of Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan first.
While issuing notice to the respondents, the court asked the AGP to furnish the total number of detained suspects in civil and military custody on account of offences allegedly committed by them on May 9.
During the hearing of the petitions filed by former CJP Jawwad S Khawaja, former prime minister Imran Khan, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan and civil society, the court issued notices to all the people and institutions named as respondents in the petitions filed against the trial of civilians in military courts under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 and the Official Secret Act, 1923.
Widespread violence erupted in Pakistan after Khan was arrested by paramilitary personnel inside the Islamabad High Court on May 9. He was later released on bail.
Over 20 military installations and state buildings, including military headquarters in Rawalpindi, were damaged or torched in the violent protests that followed Khan’s arrest.
More than 10,000 persons, including 4,000 solely from Punjab province, had been arrested following the violence that saw a crackdown on PTI activists across Pakistan.
