Imran's indictment in GHQ case deferred again

Prosecution provides supplementary charge-sheet to accused

RAWALPINDI:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in the garrison city could not indict PTI leaders and workers for the third time in a case related to an attack by a mob on the General Headquarters (GHQ) after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2023.

During the proceeding of the case, the prosecution provided copies of supplementary charge-sheets among the accused present in the courtroom, including former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, former interior minister Sheikh Rashid and National Assembly opposition leader Omar Ayub.

Some of the counsels for the accused—125 in total—raised objections to the supplementary charge-sheet, claiming that new charges had been leveled against their clients without offering evidence.

During the proceedings, Public Prosecutor Zaheer Shah stated that 102 of the 125 accused had not submitted power of attorney of their counsels. He requested ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah to appoint state counsels for the accused.

Earlier, PTI founder Imran Khan who is also among the accused was not presented in the courtroom at Rawalpindi's courthouse in view of security reasons. However, the court marked his attendance. Imran has been detained at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail for the last one year. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is detained in Lahore, was brought to Rawalpindi specially to attend the hearing.

K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Shibli Faraz, Shireen Mazari, and Zartaj Gul were unable to appear in court. Applications requesting exemption from their appearance were submitted and subsequently approved.

Meanwhile, the defense lawyers concluded their arguments on the acquittal pleas of Sheikh Rashid, Major (Retd) Tahir Sadiq, Shireen Mazari, Shakeel Niazi, and Amjad Khan Niazi. The court directed the state prosecutors to present their arguments on the acquittal applications at the next hearing.