By Fazal Sher
Copyright brecorder
RAWALPINDI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) hearing the General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case on Thursday declared 18 accused of the case, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz and others, proclaimed offenders for failing to appear before the court.
While hearing the GHQ attack case, the ATC judge Amjad Ali Shah declared PTI leaders Zartaj Gul, Kanwal Shauzab, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Shakeel Ahmad Khan Niazi, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Muhammad Murtaz Iqbal, Chaudhry Asif Ali, Muhammad Ashraf Khan, Mehar Muhammad Javed, Azeemullah Khan, Muhammad Ahmad Chattha, Chaudhry Bilal Ijaz, Muhammad Ansar Iqbal, Shair Sikandar, Haider Ali, and others proclaimed offenders.
During the hearing, prosecutor Syed Azhar Shah informed that the accused had already been convicted in cases that were decided by the courts in Faisalabad, Sargodha, and Lahore. He said that the accused absconded and failed to surrender themselves before the court.
“Under the law, exemption cannot be granted to these accused, he said, adding that legal formalities have been completed for declaring these accused as proclaimed offenders.
The court approved the prosecution’s request and declared 18 accused proclaimed offenders.
Meanwhile, following the withdrawal of its earlier notification by the Punjab government permitting jail trials for the PTI founding chairman, Imran Khan, and other accused in connection with the May 9 incident and GHQ attack case, the ATC Rawalpindi has issued a detailed set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding the PTI founding chairman to appear before the court via video link.
In the wake of the new notification, the hearing of the cases related to the May 9 riots and the GHQ attack will be shifted from Adiala Jail, and Khan’s attendance will be conducted via video link.
According to the court’s official order, no individual will be allowed to record the video link proceedings. A strict ban has been imposed on bringing mobile phones or any kind of recording devices into the courtroom.
The order further clarifies that only the court will be authorized to record the video link proceedings, and any attempt to record the session by unauthorized persons will be treated as a criminal offense under applicable laws.
Additionally, no person will be allowed to obtain a transcript of the video link proceedings, the court ruled.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
