ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi on Friday sentenced 47 proclaimed offenders to 10 years imprisonment each in the May 9 attack case related to the General Headquarters.
The verdict was announced by Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Amjad Ali Shah, who also imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on each of the convicted individuals and ordered confiscation of their movable and immovable properties.
According to the court decision, the convicted persons were declared proclaimed offenders after repeatedly failing to appear before the court during the trial.
Among those sentenced are several political figures including Omar Ayub Khan, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Shehbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari, Hammad Azhar and Sheikh Rashid Shafique, among others.
The court ruled that the accused were involved in planning and inciting violent protests during the May 9 incidents, according to findings of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
The judgment stated that the convicted individuals were linked to attacks on several installations, including the GHQ gate, Hamza Camp, the Army Museum and the Sixth Road Metro Station in Rawalpindi. They also faced charges of arson, vandalism, attacks on police and damage to public property.
According to the verdict, a total of 118 accused persons were indicted in the case, including Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The indictment was framed in December 2024.
The prosecution has so far recorded statements of 44 witnesses during the trial.
Court documents stated that 18 accused remained absent throughout the proceedings, while 29 others never appeared before the court after the case was registered.
The court conducted a separate trial of 47 proclaimed offenders under the Anti-Terrorism Act. After they failed to surrender within the deadline despite public notices, the court appointed a state counsel to represent them and completed the trial proceedings.
Following the completion of evidence and arguments, the court awarded each of the 47 accused 10 years imprisonment, a fine of Rs500,000 and confiscation of property.
The case relating to the May 9 attack on GHQ was registered at RA Bazaar Police Station.