ATC convicts 47 PTI leaders

RAWALPINDI:

On Saturday, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) sentenced 47 people including some key PTI leaders to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs500,000 each in connection with the May 9, 2023 attacks on the General Headquarters (GHQ).

It also ordered the confiscation of the movable and immovable properties of the convicts who were earlier declared proclaimed offenders because they did not appear before the court despite notices.

ATC Judge Syed Amjad Ali Shah announced the verdict, declaring that the accused were involved in planning and inciting violent protests during the May 9 unrest.

According to the judgment, the convicts were linked to attacks on key locations including the GHQ gate, Hamza Camp, the Army Museum and the Sixth Road Metro Station.

Among those sentenced are prominent political figures including Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, Shehbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari and Sheikh Rashid Shafique, along with several others.

The court noted that the 47 accused had remained absent from proceedings for nearly two years and ten months and were earlier declared proclaimed offenders.

As a result, their trial was conducted separately under Section 21-L of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 which allows proceedings against absconding accused. According to the judgment, the prosecution argued that the accused were central figures in planning the violent demonstrations of May 9.

A joint investigation team (JIT) report also identified them as key planners behind the protests that led to attacks on military installations and public property.

The case relates to the violence that erupted following the arrest of former PM Imran Khan on May 9, 2023. The FIR regarding the GHQ attack was registered at RA Bazaar Police Station in Rawalpindi.

In total, 118 accused, including senior PTI leaders such as Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were indicted in the case in December 2024.

During the proceedings, the prosecution recorded statements from dozens of witnesses, while a separate trial for the proclaimed offenders was conducted after a court inquiry found that the accused had deliberately avoided appearing before the court.

The court also issued arrest warrants for the convicted individuals and directed law enforcement authorities to ensure their apprehension. However, the judgment provides an opportunity for the convicted absconders to surrender before the court within 60 days.

The ATC directed all sentenced individuals to present themselves before the court by May 7.

If they surrender within the stipulated period, the sentences awarded in absentia will automatically be set aside and the case will proceed with a fresh trial on merit.

The court observed that such a provision ensures the accused still have an opportunity to defend themselves through a full trial if they appear before the court.

The trial related to the attack has also faced delays in recent months, partly due to technical issues including the non-functioning of the video-link system between jail and the court for several months.

Despite the conviction of the 47 absconders, proceedings in the broader case against other accused are continuing before the ATC.