RAWALPINDI: In a major verdict in the May 9 GHQ attack case, Judge Amjad Ali Shah of the Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court has sentenced 47 declared accused to 10 years in prison and a fine of Rs 5.5 million.
The court has also ordered to confiscate the properties of all the convicted accused. The convicted leaders include Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shozab, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Shahbaz Gul, Zulfi Bukhari, Muhammad Ahmed Chatha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Muhammad Murtaza, Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Usman Saeed Basra and Ijaz Khan Jazi.
The court decision has declared that in the light of the JIT report, these accused have been proven to be the main accused in the planning and conspiracy of the May 9 incidents. The accused have been charged with attacks, arson, vandalism and damage to government property at GHQ Gate, Hamza Camp, Army Museum and Sixth Road Metro Station. The case was prosecuted by Special Prosecutor Zaheer Shah on behalf of the government.
According to the court, a total of 118 accused, including founder PTI and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, were indicted in December 2024, out of which 18 accused were continuously absent from the trial while 29 accused never appeared in court. A separate trial was conducted against these advertised accused under Section 21L of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The court issued an advertisement on January 8 this year and gave the accused a chance to surrender within 7 days, however, when none of them appeared, their State Counsel was appointed and the charge was framed. The prosecution recorded the statements of 19 witnesses, who were found guilty after cross-examination. The court issued this harsh verdict.
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