Latest news with #SyedAmjadAliShah
Express Tribune
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
ATC issues PTI leaders' warrants in GHQ case
Rawalpindi's Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Syed Amjad Ali Shah on Friday issued arrest warrants for 34 absconding accused, including PTI leaders Shehryar Afridi, Kanwal Shauzab, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema and Umar Tanveer Butt in connection with the GHQ attack case. The court ordered the police to arrest the accused and present them in court by May 29. On Friday, PTI founder Imran Khan's lawyer, Advocate Malik Faisal, completed arguments on a constitutional plea seeking a joint trial, while the prosecution will argue on May 29. Faisal argued that all May 9 cases are of a similar nature, involve identical charges, and pertain to the same day, therefore they should be heard and tried together. The court during its proceedings at Adiala Jail today (Saturday) will distribute copies of charge sheets in eleven May 9 cases, including the GHQ Gate No 4 attack, attack on a sensitive agency's building in Saddar, Army Museum attack, and Metro Bus station arson. The court directed all investigating officers to appear with full documentation. Separately, the court confirmed interim bails of journalist Sami Ibrahim in the October 4 and 5 protest cases, subject to surety bonds of Rs50,000 each. However, interim bails for PTI members Sardar Ali Khan and Javed Kausar in the November 26 D-Chowk protest case were rejected. Both avoided arrest by remaining absent. In view of the jail proceedings, tight security has been deployed at Adiala Jail today.
Express Tribune
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
ATC postpones all May 9 cases
Rawalpindi's Special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Syed Amjad Ali Shah has postponed hearings in all 13 cases related to the May 9 incidents, including the GHQ attack case, until May 17 in view of tensions between Pakistan and India. In a related development, he granted interim bail to former prime minister Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khan in a case registered at Sadiqabad police station concerning the November 26 protests. Aleema appeared in court, surrendered herself, and stated she had no prior knowledge of the case. The court barred police from arresting her and instructed her to cooperate with the investigators. The GHQ attack case, scheduled for a jail trial on Saturday, did not proceed, and no witnesses appeared despite being summoned. The case has faced repeated delays since February 25. A total of 14 FIRs were registered by various police stations in the division concerning the May 9 events, but charge sheets were only submitted after one and a half years. To date, even the charge sheet for the General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case remains incomplete. Trials have commenced based on incomplete charge sheets. So far, 73 hearings have taken place, 3 judges have been replaced at the ATC, and jail trials have been held 15 times. In the case filed at Railway Police Station concerning the attack and vandalism at Tarnol Railway Station, 20 PTI workers have been convicted after pleading guilty. They received six-month jail terms and fines of Rs75,000 each. The process of distributing charge sheets continues in 12 other cases. A formal jail trial is only ongoing in the GHQ attack case, where statements of 25 out of 119 witnesses have been recorded. However, the defense has not yet cross-examined any witnesses. Two key witnesses in this caseMagistrate Mujtaba Al-Hasan and Sub-Inspector Riazhave not appeared for the past three months. Since February 25, the GHQ case trial has been at a standstill. Eight suspects in the GHQ Gate 1 attack, Metro Bus Station arson, and attack on an intelligence agency's office have already been tried in military courts. Of these, six were sentenced to two, eight, and ten years in prison, while two were released after serving one year each. The convictions have been challenged in the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC), but these constitutional petitions have not yet been scheduled for hearing. The Supreme Court has ordered all the ATCs hearing May 9 cases to conclude the trial in 4 months.
Express Tribune
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
More May 9 accused to face military trials
Judge Syed Amjad Ali Shah of Rawalpindi's Special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) will hold a crucial hearing of fourteen May 9 rioting cases tomorrow (Saturday). The hearing comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's Wednesday order upholding military courts trials of 105 May 9 accused. The SC has already ordered all ATCs holding trials of May 9 accused to conclude their proceedings within four months. It is expected that an additional 25 accused individuals may be nominated for trial in military courts. A constitutional petition seeking their handover to the military could be filed at any time. The courts have been placed on alert in anticipation of this. In all May 9 cases in the Rawalpindi Divisionexcept those involving PTI founder Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshiall accused are currently out on bail. A total of 14 FIRs were registered by various police stations in the division concerning the May 9 events, but charge sheets were only submitted after one and a half years. To date, even the charge sheet for the GHQ attack case remains incomplete. Trials have commenced based on incomplete charge sheets. So far, 73 hearings have taken place, 3 judges have been replaced at the ATC, and jail trials have been held 15 times. In the case filed at Railway Police Station concerning the attack and vandalism at Tarnol Railway Station, 20 PTI workers have been convicted after pleading guilty. They received six-month jail terms and fines of Rs75,000 each. The process of distributing charge sheets continues in 12 other cases. A formal jail trial is only ongoing in the GHQ attack case, where statements of 25 out of 119 witnesses have been recorded. However, the defense has not yet cross-examined any witnesses. Two key witnesses in this caseMagistrate Mujtaba Al-Hasan and Sub-Inspector Riazhave not appeared for the past three months. Since February 25, the GHQ case trial has been at a standstill. Eight suspects in the GHQ Gate 1 attack, Metro Bus Station arson, and attack on an intelligence agency's office have already been tried in military courts. Of these, six were sentenced to two, eight, and ten years in prison, while two were released after serving one year each. The convictions have been challenged in the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC), but these constitutional petitions have not yet been scheduled for hearing. These petitions filed more than a year back seek the military court trial records, copies of the charge sheets, sentencing forms, and summaries of evidence. Meanwhile, the police in Lahore have requested an ATC to allow them conduct a polygraphic and photographic test of founder Imran Khan in connection with the May 9 cases. In this regard, the prosecution has submitted an application to the ATC, stating that it is necessary to conduct the test and other examinations. Opposing the application in his preliminary arguments, PTI founder's counsel Barrister Salman Safdar said that filing such an application after two years is an act of bad faith. The court has adjourned the proceedings until May 14. A division bench of the Lahore High Court is going to hear on May 15 eight post arrest bails filed by Imran Khan in different May 9 cases. (WITH INPUT FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS IN LAHORE)
