In a significant development, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has indicted jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan in the May 9, 2023, General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case.
ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah presided over the hearing at a temporary court set up within Adiala Jail. Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi were present, along with PTI’s legal team.
The indictment includes 100 individuals, such as former interior minister Sheikh Rashid, all accused in the GHQ attack case registered at the R.A. Bazar Police Station. Imran Khan and other party leaders, however, have denied the charges. Among the 143 individuals named in the case, 23, including Zulfi Bukhari, Shahbaz Gill, and Murad Saeed, were declared fugitives, with all accused banned from leaving the country.
The court has scheduled December 10 to begin recording the prosecution’s evidence. Notably, the indictment had been delayed four times due to various reasons.
The case stems from the May 9 protests, during which PTI leaders and workers allegedly orchestrated attacks on military and government installations following Khan’s arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Targets included the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and Jinnah House, with the military declaring the day a “Black Day” and vowing to prosecute the perpetrators under the Army Act.
Imran Khan has denied responsibility, instead blaming “agency men” for inciting violence and arson during the protests. However, both the previous and current governments accuse him and senior PTI leaders of organizing the attacks.
Despite some legal reprieve in other cases, Imran Khan continues to face multiple charges related to the May 9 incidents, which are being heard in Anti-Terrorism Courts. Last month, his bail petitions in eight cases, including those involving the Jinnah House attack, were rejected by an ATC in Lahore. These cases include charges of arson, vandalism, and attacks on police vehicles and installations at various locations.
