RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) - An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for 14 convicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Zartaj Gul, Kanwal Shauzab, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza, in connection with the May 9 riots and GHQ attack cases. The court ordered their arrest and production at the next hearing on September 3.
Judge Amjad Ali Shah heard 12 cases related to the May 9 incidents registered in Rawalpindi division, including the GHQ attack, Army Museum assault, arson at sensitive buildings in Saddar, and torching of Metro stations on Murree Road. The jail trial of the GHQ attack case was postponed once again, with the next session fixed for September 3.
The court rejected exemption pleas filed by lawyers of the 14 convicted leaders, ruling that since they had already been sentenced in the Faisalabad court, they must surrender before seeking relief.
Warrants were also issued for 31 other accused who failed to appear without justification. Out of 119 witnesses in the GHQ attack case, 27 have recorded their statements, while three more have been summoned for the next hearing.
Copies of challans were distributed among the present accused in other cases, with charges set to be framed against PTI’s founder and co-accused on the next date of hearing.
Former Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, former MNA Sadaqat Abbasi, and others appeared before the court. Strict security arrangements were made at the district courts during the proceedings.