47 Proclaimed Offenders Sentenced to 10 Years in Jail in May 9 GHQ Attack Case
RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has sentenced 47 proclaimed offenders to 10 years in prison each and imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on each convict in the May 9 GHQ attack case.
The court also ordered the confiscation of all properties belonging to the convicted individuals.
ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah announced the verdict, while Special Prosecutor Zaheer Shah represented the prosecution.
According to the verdict, the convicted individuals were found involved in the conspiracy behind the May 9 incidents. A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report also declared them involved in planning the violent protests.
The convicts were found involved in attacks on the GHQ Gate, Hamza Camp, Army Museum and Sixth Road Metro Station.
The JIT identified the convicted individuals as key suspects in the planning of the May 9 events. They were accused of arson, vandalism, attacks on police personnel and damaging government property.
Among those sentenced are Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Shahbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari, Muhammad Ahmad Chattha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Muhammad Murtaza, Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Usman Saeed Basra and Ijaz Khan Jazi.
In the main case, charges were framed in December 2024 against 118 accused, including PTI founder Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi. So far, statements of 44 prosecution witnesses have been recorded.
Of the 118 accused, 18 were found continuously absent from court during the trial, while 29 had never appeared before the court after registration of the case.
A separate trial of the 47 proclaimed offenders was conducted under Section 21-L of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
On January 6 this year, the prosecution filed an application under Section 19/10 seeking proceedings against the accused declared proclaimed offenders. The court subsequently ordered an inquiry.
The judicial inquiry declared all 47 accused willfully absconders. Based on the inquiry report, the court ordered publication of advertisements in newspapers.
On January 8, advertisements for the 47 absconders were published, giving them seven days to surrender before the court. However, none of the accused appeared despite the court orders and publication of the notices.
The court subsequently appointed state counsel for the proclaimed offenders and framed charges against them. The prosecution produced 19 witnesses, while the state counsel cross-examined the prosecution witnesses.
After completion of the trial of the 47 proclaimed offenders, the court announced its verdict.
The May 9 GHQ attack case was registered at the RA Bazaar Police Station in Rawalpindi, with the proclaimed offenders tried separately from the other accused.
