Questions and objections surrounded Friday’s hearing as petitions for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to appear in person before the anti-terrorism court (ATC) were rejected and proceedings continued.
Strict security measures were in place at the Rawalpindi ATC. Over 700 police officers and personnel were deployed, with more than 50 traffic wardens and officers assigned to ensure smooth traffic flow.
Outside the court, the road from the commissioner’s office to the district council gate was completely sealed. Parking for lawyers, defendants, media vehicles and DSNG vans was prohibited. Entry of additional lawyers into the courtroom was restricted, and carrying mobile phones or recording videos inside was declared a crime.
PTI leaders and counsel congregated outside, voicing concerns to the media over Imran Khan’s restricted presence and public visibility. Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry said the demand for videolink was to keep the PTI chairman in isolation. “These are not normal court proceedings,” he said, noting that ATCs do not allow photography or media inside because “the courts are scared of pictures of Imran leaking. A picture leaked from the Supreme Court, and half the Supreme Court had to be suspended.”
Chaudhry referred to an image that leaked last year when Imran appeared before a five-member larger bench led by former Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa during a hearing of the government’s intra-court appeal against the apex court’s decision to nullify the NAB law amendments.
When news of the picture spread on social media, an investigation was initiated to identify the individual who leaked it.
Advocate Faisal Malik reiterated that either the PTI founder should be produced in court or a transparent jail trial should be arranged.
A Home Department notification for a videolink trial in the GHQ attack case was quickly challenged, while a separate petition seeking Imran’s court appearance was filed. PTI lawyers challenged the notification in the ATC.
The ATC admitted the petition for a hearing, with defence lawyers Faisal Malik and Barrister Ali Bukhari presenting arguments. The development came after the Punjab government formally withdrew its notification for a jail trial in the case.
The proceedings began with Imran’s lawyers objecting that they were not allowed to meet their client to prepare for the hearing. The defence counsel argued: “It is necessary to meet the client before trial proceedings to take instructions.”
“The accused is a former prime minister, but the law cannot be changed for him. A fair trial model already exists within the law. If the accused is not satisfied with the trial, he should challenge it. We will not allow the trial to be hijacked. The case proceedings will not run on the defence’s terms. Three messages were sent to the PTI founder to appear, but he is still not ready,” replied the prosecutor.
The defence responded: “Our straightforward argument is — where is the accused? We are not disrupting the trial; we only seek consultation with our client. We are demanding from the court our fundamental right and our client’s right. We were told the accused would be produced via video link, not a WhatsApp call.”
He said the video link trial notification was handed to them on Thursday at 5 pm. Advocate Salman Akram Raja will challenge this notification on Friday at the Rawalpindi Bench of the High Court.
Imran briefly joined the hearing via videolink, during which his counsel informed the ATC: “We lawyers are boycotting in protest and also approaching the High Court.” Imran echoed his counsel’s intentions: “Your decision is correct, I too will boycott.” As soon as Imran voiced his plan, the videolink was switched off.
Imran and his lawyers announced a boycott of the GHQ case in the ATC over concerns about videolinks. Prosecutor Naveed Malik and Zaheer Shah, along with the legal team, were present during proceedings, which were heard by ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah.
Advocate Faisal Malik further stated: “How can there be a fair trial without the accused? We have applied for the court to summon the PTI founder and hope the court will summon him today. Look at the atmosphere outside — the government itself is a party in this matter, so a video trial cannot be conducted.”
However, the proceedings continued and witness statements were recorded. The testimonies of two prosecution witnesses, Sub-Inspector Saleem Qureshi and Sub-Inspector Manzoor Shehzad, were recorded, with both presenting 13 USBs containing various video clips to the court.
Lawyer Faisal Malik protested that the trial through videolink was “absolutely illegal” and against the principles of justice. He highlighted how unreliable the video link connection was and said the video took place through WhatsApp.
The defence counsel stated that the government prosecutor had also been issued notice and, until a decision is made, it is unlikely Imran will appear via video link. Advocate Faisal Malik said that Imran has instructed lawyers not to allow a video link trial.
“During the WhatsApp call, the voice was breaking, and the picture was not visible.” Salman Akram Raja is petitioning against the video link and will take the petition to the High Court. He stressed that this trial violates Article 10-A of the Constitution and the requirements of a fair trial.
The court also prohibited obtaining a transcript of the videolink hearing. The defence lawyer added that if force is used to conduct the trial via video link, Imran will not appear.
According to the witnesses, 40 videos related to the PTI founder on 9 May were downloaded. Video clips of Khadim Khokhar, Shehryar Afridi, Umar Tanveer, Sadaqat Abbasi and Sikandar Mirza, along with clippings from different national newspapers, were submitted through the USBs. The digital evidence was obtained from CCTV cameras installed on Benazir Bhutto Road, Mall Road, Liaquat Bagh and nearby areas, the witnesses said.
The court dismissed the request to produce the PTI founder in person. According to the Punjab government’s notification, the PTI founder will continue to appear via video link, the court said. It summoned 10 witnesses from the Federal Investigation Agency, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, Press Information Department, Internal Security and the Ministry of Interior for the next hearing.
The court had summoned three key witnesses for Friday. Out of 119 witnesses, the statements of 27 have already been recorded. After a gap of two and a half months, the witness statements in the GHQ attack case were heard.
The case has been adjourned until September 23.
Read: ATC orders Imran Khan to appear via video link in next hearing
GHQ attack
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in December 2024 indicted former prime minister Imran Khan and other PTI leaders in connection with the May 9, 2023, attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ).
Earlier this year, Imran Khan was arrested in the GHQ attack case, and soon after, his release warrant was issued in the cypher case. Express News obtained a copy of the GHQ attack case report, which outlines 27 severe charges against Imran Khan and other accused individuals.
Read more: Imran Khan indicted in May 9 GHQ attack case
The report alleges that, under the leadership of former Provincial Law Minister Raja Basharat, the accused stormed the GHQ gate, causing significant property damage despite being warned by military personnel to stop.
The accused are also alleged to have broken into sensitive areas of GHQ, set fires, thrown petrol bombs, and created chaos within the premises.
According to the report, chants such as "No Pakistan without Khan" and "Behind this terrorism is the uniform" were allegedly raised, targeting military personnel and attacking the reputation of Pakistan’s armed forces.
The investigation report states that attacks were also made on sensitive ISI and GHQ offices, characterizing the protest as a criminal conspiracy.
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