Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday emphasised that justice for the May 9 violence will remain incomplete until the planners behind the tragedy are apprehended.

He criticised delays in delivering swift justice, stating that such postponements embolden the accused and their facilitators.

In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Khawaja Asif addressed the sentencing of 25 individuals involved in the events of May 9, 2023, by military courts. The sentences, handed down by the Field General Court Martial, range up to 10 years.

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He remarked that while the law has reached the "necks of the workers who were used," it has yet to catch the masterminds behind the day’s violent acts.

"The series of accountability should not end until the planners of this terrible day are brought to justice," Asif said.

He added that those who insulted martyrs and ghazis were wrongfully glorified, and the failure to denounce the violence of that day amounted to tacit approval of such acts.

What happened on May 9?

The violence stemmed from nationwide protests following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court premises in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The protests, spearheaded by supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), escalated into widespread unrest, including attacks on military and civilian installations.

In Lahore's Model Town, demonstrators set fire to the PML-N office, government properties, and private structures. Military installations also came under attack, causing extensive damage.

The violence left at least eight people dead and 290 injured.