PTI activists and supporters of former Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran gather in front of the main entrance of the GHQ, Pakistan's army headquarters, during a protest against the arrest of their leader, in Rawalpindi on May 9, 2023.
AFP
Imran Khan meets with party leaders, calls for independent judicial investigation
Prosecution seeks to suspend bail orders for several PTI leaders
Nine leaders from Pakistan's main opposition party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), were formally charged on Monday in a high-profile case related to an alleged attack on military headquarters.
The charges stem from violent protests that erupted on May 9, 2023, when PTI supporters ransacked military and government installations after former prime minister Imran Khan's arrest on charges of corruption.
A Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge presided over the hearing at Adiala Jail. Charges were framed against former human rights minister Shireen Mazari, former provincial minister Raja Rashid Hafeez, Khadim Hussain, Zakir Ullah, Azeem Ullah Khan, Major (retd) Tahir Sadiq, Mehar Javed, and Chaudhry Asif.
Charges could not be framed against Shah Mehmood Qureshi, an incarcerated PTI leader who was brought to Rawalpindi from Lahore by the jail authorities. Qureshi refused to sign the charge sheet, stating that he has filed a 265-D (acquittal) application, which must be decided first by the court.
Meanwhile, Khan's legal team filed an application requesting the court to provide CCTV footage of the December 5, 2024 court proceedings related to the same May 9 army headquarters (GHQ) attack case.
The application argued that legal formalities were not met and due process was not followed when charges were initially framed against Khan at the December 5 hearing.
Faisal Chaudhry, Khan's lawyer, told Nukta, "We have filed a revision petition because we haven't received the court orders yet."
Leaders meet with Khan, Gandapur disallowed
During the trial, former Prime Minister Imran Khan met with Shah Mehmood Qureshi for the first time since January 30, 2024, as well as other PTI leaders present in the courtroom, including Sheikh Rasheed, Fawad Chaudhry, and Babar Awan.
Meanwhile, the prosecution filed an application to suspend the bail orders of several PTI leaders, including KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Senator Shibli Faraz.
Gandapur was not allowed to meet Imran Khan at Adiala Jail today. Barrister Saif, an advisor to the KP Chief Minister, told the media that they would file a contempt of court application against the Adiala Jail authorities for not following the court's orders to allow the Chief Minister to meet Khan.
Khan's response on X
Following the trial, former Prime Minister Imran Khan released a statement on the social media platform X. In the statement, Khan called on his supporters to remain calm and patient, stating that he is willing to spend the rest of his life in prison for what he believes is the "true freedom of this country".
Khan also addressed the events that took place at D-Chowk on November 26, claiming that unarmed and peaceful citizens were fired upon without provocation. He urged for an investigation into the incident, as well as the disappearances of dozens of people and the alleged refusal of hospitals to release the bodies of those killed to their families.
"We demand that an independent judicial commission, including the most senior Supreme Court judges, be formed as soon as possible to conduct a transparent investigation into the May 9 false flag operation and the November 26 Islamabad massacre and determine those responsible," Khan stated.
The former Prime Minister concluded his message by telling his supporters to be prepared, as he plans to announce the next course of action soon.
The May 9 case
On May 9, 2023, a series of violent riots took place across Pakistan following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan's main opposition, the PTI.
Reacting to Khan's arrest, PTI supporters and workers began demonstrating in several cities. These demonstrations quickly turned violent, with incidents of vandalism, looting, and arson targeting government and military facilities, including the GHQ in the garrison city of Rawalpindi and the residence of the army's top commander in Lahore.
In response, the government initiated trials of civilians and PTI leaders that continue to date.
*Reporting by Ali Hamza
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