News Desk
RAWALPINDI: An Anti-Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi has announced its verdict in the May 9 General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case, sentencing 47 proclaimed offenders to 10 years in prison each along with a fine of Rs500,000.
Among those sentenced are prominent politicians including Omar Ayub Khan, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, Shehbaz Gill and Zulfi Bukhari, along with several others.
According to the court’s decision, the convicted individuals were found involved in the conspiracy behind the violent incidents that occurred on May 9. A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report also identified them as key planners of the protests that turned violent.
The court stated that the accused were involved in attacks on the gates of General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi, Hamza Camp Rawalpindi, and the Pakistan Army Museum Lahore during the unrest. The charges included arson, vandalism, attacks on police personnel, and damage to government property.
In the case, 118 accused, including Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were indicted in December 2024. The court recorded statements from 44 prosecution witnesses during the proceedings.
The judge noted that out of the 118 accused, 18 remained repeatedly absent during the trial, while 29 never appeared before the court after the registration of the case. Under the Anti-Terrorism Act, the 47 proclaimed offenders were tried separately.
The prosecution filed a request on January 6 this year to proceed against the absconding suspects, after which the court initiated an inquiry and issued public notices for the 47 fugitives on January 8. The accused were given seven days to surrender before the court, but none appeared.
The court then appointed a state counsel to represent the absconding accused, framed charges, and recorded statements from 19 witnesses presented by the prosecution. After completion of the trial of the proclaimed offenders, the court issued its final verdict.
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