Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former foreign minister, has been moved to Adiala Jail, where he is set to face formal charges related to the May 9 attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ). The case forms part of a wider investigation into the violent protests triggered by PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest.
On Sunday, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) convened at Adiala Jail to hear 13 of the 14 cases linked to the May 9 events. Judge Amjad Ali Shah presided over the proceedings, recording the attendance of the accused. The hearings were adjourned until January 6, with another case regarding the GHQ attack scheduled for later in the day.
The court also moved to cancel the bail of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur due to his repeated absences. Other prominent political figures, such as former Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and ex-Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat, attended the hearing. Qureshi’s legal team is preparing for his formal indictment, expected today.
Hearings Postponed in May 9 Violence Cases
Cases tied to vandalism and violence during the May 9 protests have been deferred to January 2024.
Arrest Warrants for PTI Leaders in GHQ Attack Case
An ATC in Rawalpindi recently issued non-bailable arrest warrants for 25 individuals absent from hearings concerning the GHQ attack. The list includes notable PTI leaders such as Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Shibli Faraz, Kanwal Shauzab, Rashid Hafeez, Colonel Shabbir, Umar Tanveer Butt, and Shehryar Afridi.
Bushra Bibi’s Arrest Warrants Cancelled
Last week, the arrest warrants for Bushra Bibi, wife of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, were cancelled by an accountability court and a special court following her court appearances in the £190 million reference and Toshakhana 2 cases.
In the £190 million reference, Bushra Bibi addressed 79 court queries before Accountability Judge Nasir Javed Rana, while the indictment in the Toshakhana 2 case was deferred until December 12 by Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand.
Both Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan, who submitted their statements under Section-342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), appeared at the hearings held within the premises of Adiala Jail. Judge Rana subsequently cancelled Bibi’s arrest warrants.
