ATCs haven't received SC's May 9 order

RAWALPINDI:

It has been over two weeks since a regular bench of the Supreme Court (SC) led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJ) Yayha Afridi ordered the anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) hearing May 9 rioting cases to conclude the trial in four months.

However, the ATCs in Punjab have not yet received the SC order "through proper channels".

The apex court on April 8 directed the ATCs to conclude trials of May 9 rioters in four months--an order that will have implications for former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan.

The court also ordered the trial courts to submit fortnightly progress reports in respective provincial high courts with regard to the trials.

Sources at Rawalpindi ATC told The Express Tribune that the SC order has not yet been received by any ATC.

They said first, the order will be received by the office of the Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice.

From there, via the LHC registrar, it will be sent to ATC in-charge judge Shahbaz Rizvi, who will convene a special meeting regarding this matter. After that, the decision will be sent, through proper channels, to all 11 ATCs in Punjab, including the one operating in Rawalpindi.

They said later a mechanism will be developed—in consultation with defense lawyers, government prosecutors, and senior police officials—to ensure swift hearings in the May 9 cases. Senior police officials will be responsible for ensuring the timely appearance of witnesses on the given dates.

Defense lawyer Faisal Malik Advocate told The Express Tribune that a request has been submitted on behalf of Imran Khan to consolidate all May 9 cases for a joint trial.

"A verdict could be expected within four months only if all the cases were heard together by a single judge in one location. Otherwise, the cases might drag on for years."

Meanwhile, investigation teams from five different police stations in Attock submitted charge-sheets to the ATC in Rawalpindi in all 15 different cases of vandalism filed after the PTI's protests of November 25 and November 26.