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ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday sentenced over a dozen members of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party to as much as 10 years in prison for their involvement in anti-government riots in May 2023.

The riots erupted after Khan was briefly arrested by in Islamabad on corruption charges on May 9, 2023, with his supporters attacking government buildings and military installations.

Thousands of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party members and supporters were later detained and hundreds were charged under anti-terrorism laws in a sweeping crackdown, with some cases referred to military courts.

On Monday, the ATC, which was hearing two 2023 riots cases at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat prison, sentenced PTI’s Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mahmood-ur-Rashid and Umar Sarfaraz Cheema among 11 individuals to 10 years in prison. Two other PTI members, Aliya Hamza Malik and Sanam Javed, were sentenced to five years in prison.

“This verdict stands as a flagrant travesty of justice, reducing the very notion of fairness to a hollow farce,” Zulfikar Bukhari, a PTI spokesman, said in a statement after Monday’s ruling.

“It is unfortunate that transparency [was] set aside in these cases and the accused were not even given the opportunity to defend themselves.”

This is the third such verdict against members of Khan’s party since July 22, when an ATC in Sargodha sentenced Ahmed Chattha, Bilal Ejaz and Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bachar to 10 years.

It was followed by the sentencing of 108 PTI members, including Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz, Hamid Raza and Zartaj Gul Wazir, to 10-years in prison by an anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad on July 31.

At the time, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar welcomed the court’s ruling, accusing PTI supporters of setting fire to government buildings, damaging military property and injuring law enforcement personnel during the May 9, 2023 unrest.

“This is a story of sacrifice to save the world from terrorism,” he had said. “Pakistan is a wall between terrorists and the world... if this wall becomes weak, the fire will not stop at our borders.”

Khan’s party denies encouraging violence and has rejected the terrorism charges against its members. Khan says he was in jail when the protests took place and did not direct the violence.

“The party shall resolutely petition the higher courts to redress this grave political injustice and vindicate the rule of law,” Bukhari said, in response to Monday’s verdict.

HAMBURG: The lowest price offered in the international tender from Pakistan to buy 100,000 metric tons of white sugar on Monday was believed to be $539.00 a metric ton, cost and freight (c&f) included, European traders said in initial assessments.

Offers in the tender from state trading agency Trading Corporation of Pakistan were still being considered and no purchase had been reported yet, they said.

Pakistan’s government last month approved plans to import 500,000 tons of sugar to help to maintain price stability after retail sugar prices rose sharply.

The lowest offer was said to have been submitted by trading house ED&F Man for 50,000 tons of fine-grade sugar sourced from any origin.

There were reportedly three other participants in the tender.

Dreyfus was said to have offered $580.75 a ton c&f, for 25,000 tons of fine-grade sugar from any origin, while Al Khaleej Sugar offered $586.00 a ton c&f for 30,000 tons of medium-grade sugar sourced from the United Arab Emirates. Trading house Bare offered $555.00 c&f for medium grade and $550.00 c&f for fine-grade sugar, both from Brazil.

Reports reflect the assessments so far from traders and further estimates of prices and volumes are still possible later.

No purchase was reported in a previous tender for 100,000 tons on July 31, with the lowest price offer also $539.00 a ton c&f.

The new tender seeks small/fine- and medium-grade sugar from worldwide origins, excluding India and Israel.

The sugar shipments should be organized to achieve the arrival of all the sugar in Pakistan by October 20, traders said.

Shipment of breakbulk supplies is sought from September 1 to September 15 for 50,000 tons, while the rest can be shipped from September 10 to September 25. Sugar in ocean shipping containers can also be shipped between September 1 to 20.