Senior Pakistan PTI leaders sentenced to 10 years over military headquarters attack

Several senior figures of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of former prime minister Imran Khan, were sentenced to 10 years in prison by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Saturday for their role in the May 9, 2023 attack on the country’s General Headquarters (GHQ).

The ruling also included fines of Rs500,000 for each convict and confiscation of their properties.

The court named 47 proclaimed offenders, including prominent PTI leaders Omar Ayub Khan, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz and Hammad Azhar, as being involved in instigating and coordinating violent protests across Pakistan. The prosecution was represented by Special Prosecutor Zaheer Shah.

Key PTI leaders convicted:

• Omar Ayub Khan, former opposition leader in National Assembly and Federal Minister
• Zartaj Gul, former Minister of State for Climate Change
• Murad Saeed, former Federal Minister for Communications
• Shibli Faraz, former Federal Minister and Senate Opposition leader
• Hammad Azhar, former Federal Minister
• Kanwal Shauzab, former Member of National Assembly (Reserved Seat for Women)
• Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, former Member of National Assembly
• Shehbaz Gill, former Special Assistant to the PM on Political Communication
• Zulfi Bukhari, former Special Assistant to the PM on Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development
• Muhammad Ahmad Chattha, former Member of National Assembly
• Rai Hassan Nawaz, former Member of National Assembly
• Rai Muhammad Murtaza, former Member of National Assembly

The court found that the convicts played central roles in orchestrating violent demonstrations on May 9, which erupted nationwide following the arrest of Khan. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report cited their involvement in attacks on several key installations in Rawalpindi, including the GHQ Gate, Hamza Camp, the Army Museum, and the Sixth Road Metro Bus Station. Charges against the accused included arson, vandalism, attacks on police personnel, and damage to public property.

Case background

The case stems from protests that erupted after Khan’s detention, which quickly escalated into violent unrest targeting military and government installations. The GHQ attack case, registered at RA Bazar Police Station, formally indicted 118 accused, including former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in December 2024.

Statements from 44 prosecution witnesses have been recorded, while 18 accused were continuously absent, and 29 never appeared in court after the case was registered.

Separate trial of proclaimed offenders

Under Section 21-L of the Anti-Terrorism Act, the ATC conducted a separate trial for 47 proclaimed offenders who had evaded the judicial process. After a public notice directed them to surrender in January, none appeared in court.

A State counsel was appointed to represent the absconding accused, and statements from 19 witnesses were recorded and cross-examined.

Following the trial, the court handed down 10-year prison sentences, fines, and property confiscation for all 47 proclaimed offenders. The main trial against the remaining accused in the May 9 GHQ attack case is ongoing.