May 9 riots: Rawalpindi ATC sentences 47 PTI leaders, supporters to 10 years in GHQ attack case An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi sentenced 47 individuals, including prominent PTI leaders Hammad Azhar, Omar Ayub, and Zartaj Gul, to 10 years in prison for their involvement in the May 9 attack on the army’s General Headquarters (GHQ). The verdict, delivered by District and Sessions Judge Amjad Ali Shah, cited evidence linking the accused to planning and executing violent incidents during the riots that erupted after Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023. The court also ordered fines of Rs500,000 each and the confiscation of their property for the state. The sentencing followed a crackdown on PTI leaders and supporters after the riots, which saw government buildings and military installations, including GHQ, stormed and vandalized. The court noted that the accused were involved in attacks on GHQ Gate No 1, Hamza Camp, the Army Museum, and the Sixth Road Metro Station. Charges of arson, vandalism, and damage to government property were proven against the defendants. Among those sentenced were Senator Shibli Faraz, Murad Saeed, Shahbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari, and ex-MNAs Kanwal Shauzab, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Muhammad Ahmed Chattha, and Sheikh Rashid Shafique. Several of the accused had already been convicted in other May 9 cases, leading to their disqualification from public office. The court also listed additional names, including Rai Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal, Shoukat Ali Bhatti, and Faisal Mukhtar, among others. The trial involved 118 accused, including Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, with 44 prosecution witness statements recorded. However, 18 accused remained absent throughout the trial, while 29 never appeared in court after the case was registered.#rawalpindi_atc #hammad_azhar #omar_ayub #zartaj_gul #district_and_sessions_judge_amjad_ali_shah
