Islamabad: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has rejected the acquittal pleas of several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including party founder Imran Khan and senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in connection with the May 9, 2023, GHQ attack case, The Express Tribune reported.
The court also rejected the acquittal requests of PTI leaders Shibli Faraz, Kanwal Shauzab, Shahryar Afridi, Umar Tanvir Butt, and Fawad Chaudhry. Lawyers Faisal Chaudhry and Faisal Malik represented the PTI leaders, while Special Public Prosecutor Zaheer Shah argued against the acquittal petitions.
The court stated that the pleas were rendered "infructuous" after the accused were indicted in the case. Additionally, the court dismissed requests from four of the accused to travel abroad due to incomplete documentation, according to The Express Tribune report.
Further, the report stated that on December 20, ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah indicted Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, along with 12 others, bringing the total number of indicted suspects in the case to 113. The court has summoned six other accused individuals for trial on Saturday.
Meanwhile, on May 9 of last year, Khan, who served as Pakistan's PM from 2018 to 2022, was arrested on the premises of the Islamabad High Court, where he had appeared for a hearing in a corruption case.
Protests erupted across the country following Imran Khan's arrest, as his supporters and party workers took to the streets to demand his release. PTI protesters attacked and vandalized several civil and military installations, including the Jinnah House in Lahore, the Mianwali airbase, and the GHQ of the army in Rawalpindi, among others. The protests led to numerous cases being registered against PTI leaders and members, with several facing trials under the Army Act. (ANI)