ATC indicts over 250 in Jinnah House case
The Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander House), which was set afire by supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan during a protest against his arrest, in Lahore, on May 9, 2023. PHOTO: Reuters/FILE
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore indicted over 250 people including former Punjab governor Umar Cheema and provincial minister Ejaz Chaudhry in the Jinnah House attack case.
The Jinnah House - the residence of Lahore's corps commander - was stormed and vandalized by thousands of alleged PTI workers after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2023.
Meanwhile, Judge Syed Amjad Ali Shah of the ATC in the garrison city of Rawalpindi once again postponed the jail trial of accused in 11 cases related to the May 9 incident on Saturday.
During the hearing of the cases at the Rawalpindi kacheri, the court distributed challan copies to the accused present. PTI founder Imran Khan will be given challan copies of these 11 cases on the next date of hearing - May 31.
Imran's lawyer, Faisal Malik, stated that the former PM has filed a petition to club together all twelve May 9 cases of the Rawalpindi division in view of their similar nature. Arguments on that petition have been completed. The court will first decide on the petition before proceeding with the trial, he said.
The Rawalpindi ATC on Friday issued arrest warrants for 34 absconding accused, including PTI leaders Shehryar Afridi, Kanwal Shauzab, Musarrat Cheema and Umar Tanveer Butt in connection with the GHQ attack case. The court ordered the police to arrest the accused and present them in court by May 29.
On Friday, PTI founder Imran Khan's lawyer, Advocate Malik Faisal, completed arguments on a constitutional plea seeking a joint trial, while the prosecution will argue on May 29.
Faisal argued that all May 9 cases are of a similar nature, involve identical charges, and pertain to the same day, therefore they should be heard and tried together.
Earlier, it was reported that the court would hold its proceedings on May 24 at Adiala Jail - where Imran is incarcerated - and distribute copies of charge sheets in eleven May 9 cases, including the GHQ attack, attack on an intelligence agency's building, Army Museum attack, and Metro Bus station arson.
The court had directed all investigating officers to appear with full documentation.
The apex court on April 8 directed ATCs to conclude trials of May 9 rioters in four months - an order that may have implications for former prime minister Imran Khan. The court also ordered the trial courts to submit fortnightly progress reports in respective provincial high courts with regard to the trials.
A three-member regular bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi issued this order while hearing the Punjab government's petition seeking cancellation of bails given to people accused of resorting to vandalism after the arrest of Imran Khan on May 9, 2023.
During the proceedings, the lawyer representing designer Khadeja Shah, one of the May 9 accused, urged the bench to ensure protection of his client's fundamental rights.
Responding to the request, CJP Afrifi asked the lawyer and his client to have faith in the ATCs and let them decide the cases. Addressing Khadeja's lawyer, Justice Salahuddin Panhwara member of the benchsaid it was merely his impression that his client's right could be violated.
The CJP noted that law clearly states that ATCs would hold trials on a daily basis. Khadeja's counsel, Sameer Khosa, asked how trials could be concluded in four months given the fact that his client was nominated in a number of FIRs.