RAWALPINDI: The Special Anti-Terrorism Court of Rawalpindi has dismissed a petition challenging the transfer of the jail trial of the May 9 GHQ attack case to the court and the appearance of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder chairman Imran Khan and main accused via video link.
The court ruled that the former prime minister cannot appear in person but must appear via video link as per the notification of the Punjab government.
The court adjourned the hearing of the case until September 23 and summoned 10 witnesses from the FIA, Pemra, PID, internal security and the Ministry of Interior.
During the hearing, the lawyers of the accused, along with prosecutors Naveed Malik and Zaheer Shah and their legal team, were present.
The court recorded the testimony of two prosecution witnesses, Sub-Inspector Saleem Qureshi and Sub-Inspector Manzoor Shahzad. The witnesses presented five USBs containing video clips to the court, stating that Imran had downloaded 40 videos related to May 9. The USBs included video clips of Umar Tanveer, Sadaqat Abbasi, Sikandar Mirza, and clippings from various national newspapers. Digital evidence obtained from CCTV cameras installed in adjacent areas, including Benazir Bhutto Road, Mall Road and Liaquat Bagh, was also presented.
The prosecution argued that transferring the jail trial to the Anti-Terrorism Court was an executive order of the Punjab government, and the constitutional court has the power to review such an order. The prosecution lawyer informed the court that in 2016, an amendment to the CrPC Act allowed accused persons to be presented via video link. Under Sections 15 and 21 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, the court has the power to decide the trial. The government is not obligated to provide a reason for transferring the trial from one place to another. The application against the video link appearance of the accused was tantamount to obstructing the trial and wasting time.
The defence lawyers argued that they demand a fair trial, which requires the personal presence of the accused. They stated that they received a copy of the provincial government’s notification and would challenge it in the high court. They also requested to meet the former chairman for further instructions, to which the court responded that a message had been sent, but he was not yet ready.
The prosecutor emphasised that the defence lawyers should focus on court proceedings rather than political discussions. He stated that while the accused is a former prime minister, the law cannot be changed for him. The model for a fair trial exists within the law, and if the accused is dissatisfied, he can challenge it, but the trial will not be hijacked. The prosecutor noted that three messages had been sent to the accused, but he was not ready to appear.
The defence lawyer objected to presenting the former chairman via a WhatsApp call, arguing that a video link has a defined legal procedure and international precedents, and a WhatsApp call cannot be considered a video link.
The prosecutor responded that the Punjab government’s notification did not specify any device or screen for the video link and that the law is equal for everyone, regardless of status.
The court ruled that the purpose of the video link appearance is for the accused to be visible. After recording the statements of two witnesses, the court adjourned the hearing and summoned more witnesses.
Imran’s arrest on May 9, 2023, sparked violent protests across the country, during which state buildings and military installations, including the GHQ, were torched and vandalised. Imran was indicted in the case on December 5 last year. The PTI founder, who has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail since August 2023, was arrested by the Rawalpindi police in the May 9 protest case in January 2024.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) adjourned the hearing on petitions seeking an early hearing of the acquittal petitions of PTI founder and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana-II case.
Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas conducted the hearing wherein Barrister Salman Safdar, Ali Bukhari and others appeared in the court on behalf of the petitioners.
PTI founder’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar took the stand that the cases have been going on rapidly for a month, the verdict is expected to be announced on September 22, so the acquittal petitions should be scheduled on the same day.
He said that all our hopes are from the high court.
Barrister Safdar said that NAB and the police have already prosecuted, now the FIA has come.
He said that the bail decision also stated that the crime is not committed, so how is the trial going on? He further said that if the applications are not scheduled on September 22, the trial court will pronounce the decision.
Justice Minhas remarked that they will decide after seeing the roster and added they already have several cases scheduled for Monday, but they will see when these applications can be filed.
The court adjourned further proceedings and adjourned the case until the next hearing.
Meanwhile, the PTI strongly condemned and completely disassociated itself from the petition filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) pertaining to former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.
In a statement issued here by the party’s Central Media Department, the PTI declared the petition morally unacceptable, politically motivated, and legally baseless.
“The party with deep regret and grave concern categorically clarified that the petition filed in the IHC under the title of ‘Conjugal Rights’ in the names of former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, has absolutely no connection whatsoever with either of them, their family, the PTI, or their legal team,” the statement said.
The statement read, “This frivolous petition has been submitted by one individual, Shahid Yaqoob, who has no association or relationship with Imran Khan, his family, or any member of the PTI.
The party considers this act as a cheap, indecent and disgraceful maneuver, aimed solely at political victimisation, character assassination, and spreading baseless propaganda.
“Such disgraceful tactics only reflect the depths to which certain elements are willing to stoop in their relentless campaign against the party founder and his family.
“The party calls upon the public and the media not to attribute this malicious move to the PTI or its leadership, as it has no legitimacy or credibility. We stress that such activities are nothing more than a shameful ploy to malign the reputation of our leader and distract from the real issues facing the nation.”
The PTI reiterated that the rights, dignity and honor of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are being fully safeguarded through the party’s official legal team, and any attempt by irrelevant individuals to exploit their names will be dealt with as a shameful and condemnable act.
“The party stands united in defending its leadership against such malicious campaigns and will continue to expose and resist these dirty tactics on all political, legal and public forums,” it concluded.
A four-member medical team from PIMS Hospital was unable to conduct a scheduled medical examination of Bushra Bibi after she reportedly declined to cooperate.
The incident occurred on Friday evening, with the team departing without having performed the assessment.
Bushra is currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail. She was transferred from her Banigala residence—where she had been under house arrest—to the jail in February 2025 following a lower court’s conviction of her and her husband in a case of “un-Islamic marriage”.
Pursuant to a court order issued on April 15 by Islamabad High Court Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb, the Punjab government was instructed to conduct a medical examination to address Bushra’s concerns about ‘possible poisoning’. She had previously alleged that a “toxic cleaner” was mixed into her food during her house arrest, resulting in a deterioration of her health.
The medical team, consisting of Dr Saad Javed, Dr Mubashir, Dr Maham (a female doctor) and Dr Maria Rashid (a female doctor), arrived at the jail shortly after 7:00pm. Although they waited for over an hour, they were unable to proceed due to Bushra Bibi’s refusal to be examined.
Reports indicate that the team returned to Islamabad by 8:15pm without having completed their task.
