An Anti Terrorism Court has sentenced 47 proclaimed offenders to 10 years in prison each in the May 9 GHQ attack case. The court also imposed a fine of 500,000 rupees on each convict and ordered the confiscation of their properties.
The verdict was announced by Anti Terrorism Court Judge Amjad Ali Shah. According to the decision, the convicted individuals were found involved in attacks on the GHQ gate, Hamza Camp, and the Army Museum.
Those sentenced include Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, and Rashid Shafiq. Other names listed among the accused include Shahbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari, Muhammad Ahmed Chattha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, and Rai Muhammad Murtaza.
The court also sentenced Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Usman Saeed Basra, and Ejaz Khan Jazi to imprisonment and fines. The verdict stated that the JIT report identified the accused as key figures involved in planning violent protests and attacks.
According to the court decision, the case relates to incidents of arson, vandalism, attacks on police, and damage to government property on May 9. In the case, charges were framed in December 2024 against 118 individuals including the PTI founder and Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
The verdict notes that statements from 44 prosecution witnesses have been recorded so far. Among the 118 accused, 18 remained absent throughout the trial while 29 never appeared in court after the case was registered.
Under the Anti Terrorism Act, the court conducted a separate trial for the 47 proclaimed offenders. The prosecution filed a request for action against them on January 6 this year, after which the court initiated an inquiry and published notices for the accused on January 8.
The court gave the accused seven days to surrender before the court, but none of them appeared despite the orders, leading the court to announce the sentences.
