RAWALPINDI: Judge Amjad Ali Shah of the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), Rawalpindi, indicted former prime minister Imran Khan, former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and over 100 other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Thursday in connection with the May 9, 2023 attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ).
Imran Khan and other indicted leaders denied the charges against them. The ATC judge conducted a hearing of the case at a makeshift court set up in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. Following the indictment, the court fixed December 10 as the date for recording the prosecution evidence. Others charge-sheeted in the case included Sheikh Rashid and his nephew Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Omar Ayub, Raja Basharat and Zartaj Gul. Subsequently, they were arrested on court orders. Following the indictment, Omar Ayub was arrested, while former Punjab law minister Raja Basharat, Ahmed Chatha and Azeemullah were taken into custody immediately after leaving the courtroom.
The court ordered for production of Shah Mehmood Qureshi from Lahore jail. Furthermore, arrest warrants were issued for 45 absconding accused, with the court warning that legal proceedings would begin to declare them proclaimed offenders (POs) if they failed to appear. The court also instructed to arrest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Shibli Faraz, Shireen Mazari, Zartaj Gul, Zain Qureshi and Taiba Raja.
On May 9, 2023, at least 10 people lost their lives and hundreds sustained injuries while approximately 40 public buildings and military installations were damaged, including Lahore Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House) and Askari Tower in Lahore, General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Office in Faisalabad, FC Fort in Chakdara, Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar, Toll Plaza at Swat Motorway and the Mianwali Airbase. In total, 62 outbreaks of violence were documented, inflicting a loss of Rs2.5 billion on the country of which, according to the state, Rs1.98bn in losses were suffered by the army. To this day, the military says the events were a coordinated attack by the PTI leadership.
There are over 143 accused in the GHQ attack case, registered at the RA Bazaar Police Station, including the PTI founder. The court has declared 23 accused, including Shahbaz Gill and Zulfi Bukhari, as absconders. Earlier on November 23, 10 people were convicted for their role in the riots by an Islamabad Anti-terrorism Court.
According to a copy of the GHQ attack case report, which outlines 27 charges against Imran Khan and other accused, under the leadership of Raja Basharat, the accused stormed the GHQ gate. They caused significant property damage, despite being warned by the military personnel. The accused were also charged with breaking into sensitive areas of GHQ, setting sections and equipment on fire, throwing petrol bombs and creating chaos on the premises. According to the report, chants such as “No Pakistan without Khan” were raised, targeting military personnel and attacking the reputation of Pakistan’s armed forces. The investigation report stated that attacks were also made on sensitive ISI and GHQ offices, characterising the protest as a criminal conspiracy.
Earlier, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) dismissed the petition of PTI founder Imran Khan, challenging the jurisdiction of the court in the GHQ attack case. While arguing on the PTI founder’s application, Public Prosecutor Zaheer Shah contended that exerting pressure on the government through violent protests falls under the category of terrorism. He said that the attack on GHQ was carried out to incite the armed forces to revolt. The prosecutor further argued that the PTI leaders and workers made a plan on the pattern of terrorist organisations for the achievement of its political goals. He told the court that the attack on GHQ was broadcast on the international media, especially the Indian media. He said in July 2023, the Punjab Home Department issued a report on May 9 incidents, which said that the country faced a huge loss due to violent PTI protests.
Furthermore, Prosecutor Zaheer Shah told the court that the May 9 events were a direct attack on the country’s internal security and sovereignty. They were not only terrorism but also an attempt to wage war against the State of Pakistan, the prosecutor added. He told the court that after 19 months, the PTI founder’s petition was aimed at delaying the indictment. Zaheer Shah said creating an atmosphere of chaos by paralysing civilian life is terrorism, adding that under a well-thought-out plan, military institutions were targeted simultaneously across the country.
After hearing the arguments of PTI counsel and public prosecutor, the ATC dismissed Imran’s petition. Earlier, the indictment in the case was deferred four times due to several reasons. Later, the law-enforcement agencies (LAEs) handed over the arrested PTI leaders to the relevant police teams in Rawalpindi.
Separately, Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand issued arrest warrants for PTI founder Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana-II case for failing to appear in court during the past 10 hearings. The case was adjourned till Monday. The court also issued a notice to the guarantor of the accused.
Talking to the media outside the Adiala jail, PTI founder chairman Imran Khan’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry said that the whereabouts of arrested party leaders were not known, and the party was not being told which cases they were facing.
Chaudhary said they had shown the court orders to the police. He added that Raja Basharat, Ahmed Chatha, Azeemullah and Raja Majid had been detained. Omar Ayub, he pointed out, was being detained. “It is being stated that there are cases registered against them in Sargodha, Faisalabad and Gujranwala. However, it is not known in which cases they have been detained,” he added.
Meanwhile, in reaction to Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari’s outbursts, and other PMLN ministers, a PTI spokesman slammed the ‘unrepresentative’ government’s courtiers for targeting the people of KP and spitting venom against Pakhtuns due to their unwavering support for the PTI and its founder, Imran Khan.
The mandate-thief government’s spokesperson lacked understanding of national affairs, hence such nonsensical statements, he added.