Court says pleas became “infructuous” after indictment of accused in the case
The Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday rejected the acquittal pleas of PTI leaders including party founder Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the GHQ attack case.
The court also rejected the acquittal pleas of PTI leaders Shibli Faraz, Shahryar Afridi, Kanwal Shauzab, Umar Tanvir Butt and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry.
Special public prosecutor Zaheer Shah presented arguments against the acquittal petitions, while lawyers Faisal Chaudhry and Faisal Malik represented the PTI leaders along with the legal team.
The ATC dismissed the pleas saying that the acquittal petitions became moot after the accused was charged in the case.
The court also rejected pleas of the four accused to go abroad due to incomplete documents.
A day earlier, ATC Rawalpindi Judge Amjad Ali Shah had indicted PTI leader Qureshi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapura among the 14 in the GHQ attack case.
A total of 113 suspects have been indicted in the case so far, the court summoned the other six accused named in the case for tomorrow (Saturday).
The GHQ attack case arose out of the May 9 riots that erupted in several parts of the country following the arrest of former prime minister Imran in a corruption case.
Violent protests also saw attacks on public property, including military installations, including the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the Corps Commander’s house in Lahore and others.
Attacks and looting of army property resulted in the registration of dozens of cases against PTI leaders and workers, with several members facing trial under the Army Act.
