Shireen Mazari among nine more indicted in GHQ attack case
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An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has indicted nine more accused including former federal minister for human rights Dr Shireen Mazari in the GHQ attack case related to May 9 vandalism.
During proceedings on Monday, ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah framed charges against the nine accused who were Dr Shireen Mazari, Raja Rashid Hafeez, Khadim Hussain, Zakirullah, Azeemullah Khan, Major Tahir Sadiq, Mehar Muhammad Javed, Chaudhry Asif and Munir.
The ATC judge conducted the hearing inside Adiala jail and adjourned the proceedings until December 19.
Senior PTI leader and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Colonel Ajmal Sabir Raja and Sikandar Zeb refused to sign the indictment sheet, saying they will do so after the outcome of their application regarding the case.
After the judge’s move, the prosecution did not waste any time and filed plea for cancellation of bails of absent accused including KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Umar Tanveer Butt, Zakirullah Muhammad Asim, Sikandar Mirza, Taimur Masood, Saad Ali Khan, Zohaib Khan Afridi, Major Tahir Sadiq, Azeemullah Khan, Muhammad Latasib Satti, Makhdoom Zain Qureshi, Fahad Masood, Shahbaz Ahmed, Kanwal Shozab, Chaudhry Asif Ali, Senator Shibli Faraz, Colonel Shabbir Awan, Mehr Muhammad Javed, Nasir Mahfouz, Munir, Raja Rashid Hafeez and Chaudhry Bilal Ijaz.
As the proceedings were set into motion on Monday, Special Public Prosecutor Naveed Malik and Zaheer Shah were present in court, while PTI’s lawyer Muhammad Faisal Malik appeared with the legal team.
PTI founder Imran Khan was brought there in the courtroom while Shah Mehmood Qureshi was shifted from Kot Lakhpat Jail to Adiala Jail for the hearing of the case.
The prosecutors asked the court to cancel bail of the absent accused, submitting that the missing accused were deliberately delaying the trial.
The court framed charges against 9 accused in the May 9 GHQ attack case. However, the accused pleaded not guilty and denied the charges.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi filed a Section 265-D application due to which charges could not be framed against him in the GHQ attack case. The court fixed the hearing of Qureshi’s Section 265-D application for the next date of hearing.
Section 265-D of the Criminal Procedure Code allowed for halting charge proceedings if the charges are not proven.
The court adjourned further hearing of the GHQ attack case until December 19.
It may be mentioned here the total numbers of accused in the GHQ attack case are 119, of whom charges had already been framed against 98, including Imran Khan.
Reporter Ershad Qureshi