GHQ attack: Rashid, Mazari, acquittal pleas rejected

RAWALPINDI:

The Anti-Terrorism Court has rejected the acquittal pleas of Sheikh Rashid, Shireen Mazari, Tahir Sadiq and others in the General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case during the May 9 carnage.

Announcing its verdict, the court rejected the pleas filed by Sheikh Rashid, Shireen Mazari, Wasiq Qayyum, Amjad Niazi, Azeem Ullah, Shakeel Niazi, Umar Tanveer Butt and Tahir Sadiq. The court stated that the pleas submitted on the basis of lack of evidence were premature as the accused were yet to be indicted and the evidence against them yet to be revealed.

The court maintained that the evidence would be vetted in light of statements by witnesses, adding that the challans included serious allegations which needed to be examined.

The court also issued notices to the accused for their indictment on November 25.

Defence lawyers contended that the cases were baseless as none of the accused was present in Rawalpindi on May 9 at the time the GHQ was attacked. They said their clients were targets of political victimization, that footage and witnesses of the case were not available, and that the approvers produced by police had backtracked on their statements.