ATC indicts two more in GHQ attack case

Dismisses Imran's plea seeking indictment day footage

RAWALPINDI:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in the garrison city has indicted two more accused in a case filed against the acts of vandalism committed at the gates of the General Headquarters (GHQ) following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2023.

ATC Judge Syed Amjad Ali Shah read out the charge-sheet against the two accused, who pleaded not guilty.

The court has so far indicted 117 people in the case, including top PTI leaders like Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Omar Ayub.

The ATC which held proceedings on Tuesday at Rawalpindi's courthouse also initiated proceedings to declare two consistently absent accused—PTI workers Shaheer Sikandar and Muhammad Asim—as proclaimed offenders and issued perpetual arrest warrants against them.

However, the court approved a petition by National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan requesting a certified copy of the statement from a pardoned witness. A notice was issued to the public prosecutor, directing a response by January 6.

The attendance of Imran Khan, who is detained at the city's Adiala Jail, was marked via a court-issued warrant, while former interior minister Sheikh Rashid also appeared before the court. All 14 cases related to the May 9 incident are scheduled for the next hearing.

The ATC also dismissed two requests filed by the PTI founder and former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, seeking access to CCTV footage related to their indictments.

The special public prosecutor, Syed Zaheer Shah, argued that Adiala Jail falls under the jurisdiction of the Punjab government, and obtaining the footage requires authorization from the Home Department or a high court.

The indictment of Imran had taken place in a courtroom inside Adiala Jail. The ATC accepted the prosecutor's arguments and dismissed the petitions.

The accused in the case are charged with rebellion, criminal conspiracy, terrorism, attempted murder, vandalism, and other offenses.

It said the attack on the GHQ was intended to incite rebellion within the Pakistan Armed Forces and was part of an organized plan resembling those of terrorist organizations to achieve political goals.

According to the prosecutor, military targets were identified before May 9.

The attack on the GHQ was widely covered by international media, with Indian media leading the coverage.

He claimed that in July 2023, the Punjab Home Department issued a report on the May 9 incidents, stating that the rioting resulted in an estimated loss of Rs1.66 billion, with 102 vehicles damaged and 26 buildings targeted in organized assaults.

He said the May 9 events were a direct attack on national security and state stability, constituting not only terrorism but an attempt to wage war against the state of Pakistan.