Rawalpindi ( The COW News Digital) Former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan was presented before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday via WhatsApp link in the ongoing May 9 GHQ attack case. The court, presided over by Judge Amjad Ali Shah, heard two applications filed by Khan seeking the provision of CCTV footage of the September 19 proceedings and a halt to the trial until Islamabad High Court’s orders on the jail trial are implemented.
Khan’s counsels, Faisal Malik and Salman Akram Raja, argued that their client should be given time for consultation and that the trial should be paused until further directions from the High Court. However, Judge Amjad Ali Shah rejected the request, remarking that the trial court cannot disregard High Court orders. The judge reminded the defense that they had previously facilitated Khan’s communication, but he had chosen to boycott the proceedings.
The prosecution accused Khan’s legal team of deliberately wasting the court’s time, stating, “The defense boycotts proceedings one day and demands more time the next. Their conduct shows they are not serious about the trial.”
Raja countered by arguing that a prisoner could not simply be produced via a WhatsApp call and insisted that the trial must proceed constitutionally rather than under government instructions.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court dismissed Imran Khan’s applications and continued the proceedings.
Later in the day, Khan was presented again via WhatsApp link, where his lawyers requested to speak to him. Although communication was briefly established, the defense complained of poor audio and unclear visuals, eventually boycotting the proceedings altogether and leaving the courtroom.
Despite the walkout, the ATC recorded statements of eight prosecution witnesses, including Additional Director PEMRA Nader Khan, FIA technical assistants Anis ur Rehman and Muhammad Imran, and several senior government officials such as PID Deputy Directors Muhammad Tariq and Hasnain Wazir, former Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Abdullah, Irshad Bhatti, and Section Officer Interior Ministry Bilal Ahmed.
So far, statements of 41 witnesses have been recorded in the case, with more prosecution witnesses summoned for the next hearing. Imran Khan remained connected via WhatsApp link throughout the recording of witness testimonies.
