Imran Khan's Nephew Hassan Niazi Sentenced to 10 Years Amid Family Arrests

Lahore, Pakistan – Hassan Niazi, nephew of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment by a military court in connection with the May 9, 2023 riots. This conviction comes amidst heightened political tensions in Pakistan, with two other nephews of Imran Khan, Shahrez Khan and Shershah Khan, also recently arrested in connection with the same events.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced the sentencing of Niazi as part of a larger group of 60 civilians convicted by military courts for their alleged involvement in attacks on military installations during the widespread protests following Imran Khan's brief arrest last year. Niazi was specifically implicated in the attack on the Jinnah House in Lahore.

The arrests of Shahrez Khan and Shershah Khan, sons of Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khan, have been strongly condemned by the family and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Shahrez was initially reported as "abducted" by plainclothes men from his Lahore residence, with police later confirming his arrest in a May 9 case. His younger brother, Shershah, was detained a day later while returning from a court hearing related to Shahrez's case.

Kasim Khan, Imran Khan's elder son, asserted on social media, > "My cousins Shahrez & Shershah have been abducted, while Hassan Niazi has been convicted in a military court. This is blatant state repression, punishing family members because the Supreme Court tried granting Imran Khan bail." He added, "Such tactics will not break us - they only expose the injustice further. Targeting innocent family members is cruel, unlawful, and must end."

The arrests and conviction follow the Supreme Court's decision to grant Imran Khan bail in eight cases related to the May 9 riots. PTI leaders, including Aleema Khan, have characterized the detentions as politically motivated "pressure tactics" aimed at intimidating the former prime minister's family and supporters. The May 9 events saw widespread vandalism and attacks on state and military infrastructure across Pakistan.