GHQ case hearing marred by boycott

The hearing of the May 9 GHQ attack case took a dramatic turn on Friday as a key prosecution witness went abroad, defence lawyers boycotted proceedings, and the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) pressed on by recording statements from two other witnesses.

The proceedings began with revelations that Sub-Inspector Tasadduq, considered a key government witness, had gone out of the country with his family after giving only a partial statement. Investigators were forced to summon another witness at short notice to keep the trial moving.

The controversy deepened when PTI founder Imran Khan, who had been ordered to appear via video link, was instead connected through WhatsApp. He appeared for just over three minutes before cutting the connection. Both Imran Khan and his legal team denounced the process, calling the WhatsApp arrangement unconstitutional and boycotting the trial.

"Either summon me in person or conduct a proper jail trial in everyone's presence," Khan reportedly told his lawyers. He argued that video-link proceedings deprived him of fair consultation with his defence team.

Following the boycott, ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah allowed the prosecution's request to continue without the defence and recorded the statements of Sub-Inspectors Manzoor Shehzad and Saleem Qureshi.

The two witnesses presented 13 USB drives containing 40 video clips allegedly linked to Imran, as well as footage from CCTV cameras installed at Benazir Bhutto Road, Mall Road, Liaquat Bagh and adjoining areas.

They also submitted clippings from national newspapers and videos of PTI leaders, including Khawaja Khokhar, Shehryar Afridi, Umar Tanveer, Sadaqat Abbasi and Sikandar Mirza.

The defence protested earlier in the day, arguing that trial through WhatsApp fell short even of a formal video link. "This is not a video link, this is a WhatsApp call - it undermines the right to fair trial guaranteed under Article 10 of the Constitution," lawyer Faisal Malik told the court.

He maintained that without the ability to privately consult their client, the lawyers could not effectively defend him. The prosecutors countered that the video-link arrangement was legal under amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code and provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

They argued that transferring the trial venue was an executive decision of the Punjab government and could not be challenged in the ATC.

Judge Shah dismissed the defence objections and adjourned the case until September 23, summoning 10 more witnesses for the next hearing. He also rejected a request to summon Imran Khan in person.

The hearing took place under extraordinary security, with 700 police personnel deployed around the ATC. Roads outside the court were sealed with barbed wire, media vehicles were restricted, and many lawyers were denied entry.