Rawalpindi: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has formally charged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and 14 other accused in connection with the May 9 GHQ attack case.
According to Express News, Judge Amjad Ali Shah conducted the hearing at Adiala Jail, addressing the case registered at RA Bazaar police station. Several high-profile PTI leaders, including party founder Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Shibli Faraz, Sheikh Rashid, and Fawad Chaudhry, were present during the proceedings. Charges were read out to 14 accused.
Individuals Charged
The court framed charges against:
- Ali Amin Gandapur (KP Chief Minister)
- Shah Mehmood Qureshi
- Shibli Faraz
- Shehryar Afridi
- Kanwal Shauzab
- Col (Retd.) Shabbir Awan
- Latasab Satti
- Umar Tanveer Butt
- Taimoor Masood
- Saad Ali Khan
- Sikandar Zaib
- Zohaib Afridi
- Fahad Masood
- Raja Nasir Mehmood
All the accused denied the charges after they were read in court. The judge subsequently canceled the arrest warrants for CM Ali Amin Gandapur, who appeared before the court.
Developments in the Case
To date, charges have been framed against a total of 113 individuals, including PTI’s founder and senior leaders such as Umar Ayub and Shibli Faraz. During the session, PTI’s defense team also presented a petition citing insufficient evidence to support the charges. The court completed the initial hearing on the plea, with further proceedings scheduled for the next day at the ATC in Rawalpindi.
Legal Representation and Pleas
CM Gandapur has appointed Advocate Ghulam Hasnain Sanbal as his legal representative for 12 related cases. Meanwhile, Ali Amin Gandapur, Shibli Faraz, and Kanwal Shauzab have filed applications under Section 265-D of the Code of Criminal Procedure. These applications will also be heard in the next session.
The court proceedings continue to shed light on the events surrounding the May 9 attacks, with significant political and legal ramifications.
