RAWALPINDI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Saturday delivered a landmark judgment in the GHQ attack case, sentencing 47 accused — including several senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders — to ten years in prison. Each convict was also fined Rs.5 million, while the court ordered the confiscation of their properties.
ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah, while announcing the verdict, declared that the accused were found guilty of conspiring in the May 9 incidents and planning violent protests. The court held that charges of arson, vandalism, attacks on police, and damage to government property had been proven against them.
Those convicted include PTI leaders Omar Ayub Khan, Kanwal Shozab, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hammad Azhar, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Shahbaz Gul and Zulfi Bukhari, among others.
The Anti-Terrorism Court also ordered confiscation of their properties.
The ruling marks one of the most significant outcomes in the series of cases stemming from the May 9 unrest, which saw widespread violence, attacks on state institutions, and damage to public property following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.
In its detailed order, the court observed that the accused had “intentionally evaded the process of justice with their deliberate abscondance… brought about to obstruct the course of justice.” It added that the prosecution had “proved the charge of Section 21‑L of the ATA, 1997 beyond shadow of reasonable doubts.”
In its verdict, the court declared:
“This Court is satisfied from above analysis of evidence that all the accused of this case intentionally evaded the process of justice with their deliberate abscondance which absence was brought about to obstruct the course of justice.”
“The prosecution has proved the charge of Section 21-L of the ATA, 1997 beyond shadow of reasonable doubts against all the accused persons…”
“They are hereby convicted under that section and sentenced to undergo imprisonment for a period of ten years each. They are also sentenced to pay fine of Rs.5,00,000/- each in default whereof they will undergo simple imprisonment for a period of one year each.”
“Since they have been sentenced to 10-years imprisonment so by default they are automatically further convicted under Section 7(2) of the ATA, 1997 and their properties are ordered to be forfeited.”
