Pakistan’s ex-PM Imran Khan indicted in military headquarters attack case

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has been indicted in the General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case. The case stems from the violent protests on May 9 last year.

PTI supporters have been accused of attacking and vandalizing government and military installations on May 9, 2023, following the former premier's brief arrest that day in a corruption case.

The incident occurred just over a year after Khan's contentious split with Pakistan’s influential military, which he accused of conspiring with his opponents to remove him from power during a parliamentary vote in April 2022. The military has denied these allegations.

The indictment was issued during a hearing on Thursday at a special anti-terrorism court (ATC) held in a makeshift courtroom at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, where Khan is incarcerated. ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah presided over the session.

The ATC also indicted 100 accused present in court during the hearing. The charges against the accused include sedition, terrorism, attempted murder, vandalism, arson, and criminal conspiracy.

All the accused, including Khan, Sheikh Rashid, Sadaqat Abbasi, Omar Ayub, and Zartaj Gul, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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Prominent PTI leaders present in court included Rashid, Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Malik Ahmed Chattha, Raja Basharat, Usman Dar, and Ashraf Khan Sohna, among others.

Special Public Prosecutor Zahoor Shah represented the prosecution during the hearing.

The court has summoned the prosecution’s witnesses for the next hearing, scheduled for December 10.

Khan’s jurisdiction appeal rejected

Meanwhile, a request by Imran Khan to challenge the court's jurisdiction in the GHQ attack case was dismissed by the anti-terrorism court.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court rejected the petition.

Public Prosecutor Zahoor Shah opposed the request, arguing that the violent protests were acts of terrorism designed to pressure the government.

“The GHQ attack was carried out with the intent to incite rebellion within Pakistan’s armed forces,” Shah stated. He added that the events were a politically motivated, well-organized plan resembling the strategies of terrorist organizations.

According to the prosecutor, the attacks were premeditated, with specific military targets identified before May 9. The incident gained significant coverage in international media, especially in India, he pointed out.

A supporter of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), reacts as he along with others attend a rally demanding his release in Swabi, Pakistan November 9, 2024. Reuters

Shah also referenced a report by the Punjab Home Department, released in July 2023, which detailed the scale of destruction during the May 9 incidents. According to the report, 102 vehicles were damaged and 26 buildings were attacked with estimated losses totaling PKR 1.66 billion.

The prosecutor described the events as a direct assault on Pakistan's internal security and state stability. “The May 9 incidents were not just acts of terrorism but an attempt to wage war against the state of Pakistan,” he argued.

Shah further criticized the timing of the jurisdiction challenge, calling it a delay tactic to avoid indictment. “Damaging public property, looting, and creating chaos to disrupt civil life clearly fall under terrorism,” he said.

The court, after deliberating, dismissed the plea and upheld the charges against Khan and other accused.

Arrests of PTI leaders

Separately, the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, was arrested after the hearing. Former Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat and PTI leaders Ahmed Chattha and Azeem were also detained in connection with the party's violent “final call” protests in Islamabad.

The Rawalpindi police confirmed the arrests of Ayub and three other PTI leaders. They were taken into custody under cases registered following the protests.

A GIF captured from a video shows Bushra Bibi, the wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, waving to PTI supporters as they continue their march toward Islamabad on November 25, 2024.Nukta

The court had summoned several PTI leaders, including former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, for today’s hearings. It directed the arrest of absent accused individuals, including Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, and Shireen Mazari.