RAWALPINDI (Kashmir English): The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Tuesday sentenced 47 proclaimed offenders, including senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, to 10 years’ imprisonment each in the May 9 GHQ attack case.
The court also ordered the confiscation of the properties of the convicted accused and imposed a fine of Rs 500,000.
ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah announced the verdict, while Special Prosecutor Zaheer Shah represented the government in the case.
The prosecution recorded statements of 19 witnesses during trial, while a separate trial was conducted for all proclaimed offenders in the case.
According to the verdict, the convicted accused were found involved in the conspiracy related to the May 9 incidents. A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report had alleged their involvement in planning violent protests, which occurred on May 9, 2023.
The convicted accused were found involved in attacks on GHQ Gate, Hamza Camp, Army Museum, and Sixth Road Metro Station in Rawalpindi.
They also faced allegations related to arson, vandalism, attacks on police personnel, and damage to government property.
The convicted accused include Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, Sheikh Rashid Shafique, Shehbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari, Ahmed Chattha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Murtaza, Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Usman Saeed Basra, and Ejaz Khan Jazi, among others.
A total of 118 accused, including PTI founder Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were indicted in the case in December 2024. So far, statements of 44 prosecution witnesses have been recorded in the main case.
Out of 118 accused in the case, 18 remained continuously absent from the court during the trial, while 29 accused never appeared before the court after registration of the case.
47 proclaimed offenders
According to court proceedings, 47 accused who had been declared proclaimed offenders were tried separately under Section 21L (punishment for an absconder) of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Earlier on January 6, the prosecution filed a petition for action against the accused who were declared absconders in the case under Section 19(10) of the ATA, on which the court constituted an inquiry.
The court subsequently issued public notices, giving the accused an opportunity to surrender. However, none of the 47 accused appeared before the court.
State counsel was appointed to represent the proclaimed offenders. During the separate trial, the prosecution produced 19 witnesses, who were cross-examined by the state-appointed counsel.
Following the completion of the trial, the ATC handed down 10-year prison sentences and Rs 500,000 fines to each of the 47 proclaimed offenders.
