An anti-terrorism court judge, Judge Amjad Ali Shah, on Thursday, indicted Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), along with 60 other party leaders in the GHQ attack case.
Following the court’s decision, police arrested four PTI leaders, including Omar Ayub, Raja Basharat, and Malik Ahmad Chatta. Additionally, 23 others, like Murad Saeed, Shehbaz Gill, and Zulfi Bukhari, have been declared offenders.
Previously, the same court in Rawalpindi dismissed PTI leader Omar Ayub’s plea for acquittal concerning the violent protests on May 9. On that day, Imran Khan was arrested at the Islamabad High Court during a hearing on a corruption case. Khan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, faced allegations of illegally receiving gifts and assets from abroad.
Read: Imran Khan Arrested in May 9 GHQ Attack Case, Faces Anti-Terrorism Court
Khan’s arrest triggered massive protests and riots nationwide, with PTI supporters demanding his release. The protesters targeted various civil and military facilities, including the army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, the Jinnah House in Lahore, and the Mianwali airbase. They also set vehicles on fire, blocked roads, and clashed with police and security forces.
In response, authorities arrested and charged over 5,000 individuals under the Anti-Terrorism Act and other laws for their role in the disturbances. The government has also implicated Khan as the principal instigator of these attacks, claiming to possess evidence of his involvement.
