May 9: 47 PTI leaders, workers get 10 years

Pindi ATC also orders confiscation of POs' properties

RAWALPINDI:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has sentenced 47 proclaimed offenders—including key PTI leaders—to 10 years' imprisonment each in the May 9, 2023 GHQ attack case. The court has also ordered the confiscation of all their properties while imposing a fine of Rs500,000.

ATC Judge Syed Amjad Ali Shah issued the verdict on Tuesday after completing the separate trial of the proclaimed offenders under Section 21-L of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997. According to the verdict, the accused were involved in the conspiracy and planning of the May 9, 2023 protests.

It said a joint investigation team (JIT) report had also identified them as being involved in planning the violent protests. The convicts were involved in attacks on the GHQ gate, Hamza Camp, Army Museum, and the Sixth Road Metro Station.

They were also accused of rioting, vandalism, attacks on police personnel, and damaging government property during the May 9 riots that sparked after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.

The prosecution was represented by Special Prosecutor Zaheer Shah.

Those sentenced include PTI leaders Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, Sheikh Rashid Shafique, Shahbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari, Muhammad Ahmad Chattha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Muhammad Murtaza, Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Usman Saeed Basra and Ijaz Khan Jazi.

A total of 118 accused, including PTI founder Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, had been indicted in the case in December 2024.

So far, the ATC has recorded statements of 44 prosecution witnesses in the main trial. Of the 118 accused, 18 remained continuously absent during the trial, while 29 never appeared before the court after the case was registered.

The prosecution had filed an application on January 6 this year seeking proceedings against the accused who had been declared proclaimed offenders under the relevant provisions of the ATA, 1997.

The court subsequently ordered an inquiry, which declared the 47 accused deliberately absconding. Following the inquiry report, the court ordered publication of notices in newspapers.

The notices for the 47 absconders were published on January 8, giving them seven days to surrender before the court. However, none of the accused appeared despite the court orders and the publication of the notices.

The court then appointed a state counsel to represent the proclaimed offenders and framed charges against them. The prosecution recorded statements of 19 witnesses during the separate trial, while the state counsel cross-examined the prosecution witnesses.

After completing the trial, the court announced its verdict. The May 9 GHQ attack case was registered at the RA Bazaar police station in Rawalpindi.

On May 9, 2023—almost an year after the ouster of his government—former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in connection with a corruption case.

Following the arrest, thousands of people staged violent protests across the country with mobs attacking and setting fire to government properties and installation of the Pakistan Armed Forces.