GHQ attack case
RAWALPINDI
Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) has awarded 10 years sentence in prison and imposed fine of Rs 5 lac each to 47 accused who were declared proclaimed offenders in GHQ attack case against 118 accused persons including PTI leaders.
In the event of non payment of fine, the accused will have to undergo one year sentence more.
The court issued the order following the completion of hearing on prosecution application.
The prosecution was persuaded by Special prosecutor Zahir Shah.
The court has ordered to confiscate moveable and immoveable property of the accused persons.
The decision regarding May 9 GHQ attack case was announced by judge Amjid Ali Shah of ATC Rawalpindi.
In its 16 pages decision the court has maintained convicted accused were found involved in the conspiracy of May 9 incidents. As JIT report has declared them involved in planning for violent protest and in this perspective the convicted persons have been found involved in attacks on GHQ gate, Hamza Camp, Army museum, and 6th road metro station
The accused who have been sentenced by the court include Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, and Rashid Shafiq, Shahbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari, Muhammad Ahmad Chatha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, and Rai Muhammad Murtaza.
Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Usman Saeed Basra, and Ijaz Khan Jazi are also included among those sentenced in this case.
As per court’s decision all the accused were declared proclaimed offenders.
The decision said the convicted accused were found involved in attacks on GHQ gate, Hamza Camp and Army Museum. In JIT report the accused were declared as major accused in planning for violent protest .
As per decision the accused are charged with May 9 vandalizing, siege and arson, attacking on police and causing damage to state property.
118 accused including PTI founder and Shah Mehmood Qureshi were indicted in the case. 118 accused were indicted in December 2024.
Court said in its decision the statements of 44 prosecution witnesses have been recorded so far in the case. 18 among 118 accused were found absent continuously from court during the trial. 29 accused never appeared in the court following the registration of case.
The court said separate trial of 47 proclaimed offenders was run under anti terrorism act.
Prosecution filed application for action against proclaimed offenders on January 6 in the current year.
The court constituted inquiry on the petition of the prosecution .
In the judicial inquiry 47 proclaimed offenders were declared absconders.
The advertisement of 47 absconding accused was issued on January 8 this year.
It was said in the decision that the proclaimed offenders were given chance to surrender before court within seven days. No accused appeared in the court despite court’s orders and issuance of advertisement.
The court appointed state counsel for the proclaimed offenders and framed charge regarding them.
During it prosecution recorded statements of 19 witnesses in the court. The state counsel cross questioned the prosecution witnesses as well.
The court announced the decision following the completion of trial of 47 proclaimed offenders and announced sentence of 10 years and fine Rs 5 lac each
It is pertinent to mention here that May 9 GHQ attack case was registered in police station RA Bazar.
The court has however ordered if the accused appear in the court on their own within two months of the decision of the case and present appropriate reason for their absence then one chance of transparent trial can be given to them.
