Qureshi, Gandapur among 14 indicted in GHQ attack case

RAWALPINDI: Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rawalpindi Judge Amjad Ali Shah indicted PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur among 14 in the General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case, stemming from the May-9 incidents.

CM Gandapur appeared in court, leading to the cancellation of his arrest warrants. The hearing was also attended by several high-profile accused, including PTI founder Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Shibli Faraz. The court framed charges against Qureshi, Gandapur and 12 co-accused, while adjourning the case until December 21. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. Among those indicted were Qureshi, Shehryar Afridi, Colonel Shabbir Awan, Latasab Satti, Umar Tanveer Butt, Shibli Faraz, Kanwal Shauzab, Taimoor Masood, Saad Ali Khan, Sikandar Zaib, Zohaib Afridi, Fahad Masood and Raja Nasser Mehmood. Thus far, a total of 113 individuals have been charged in connection with the GHQ attack case.

CM Gandapur, along with Afridi and Shauzab, filed Section 265-D applications, which the court had scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday. Additionally, Gandapur appointed Advocate Ghulam Hasnain Sumbal as his pleader in the case. Following the court proceedings, Gandapur expressed gratitude to the judge for cancelling his arrest warrant.

After the hearing, the KP CM visited Adiala jail to meet the PTI founder. Sources said the meeting continued for almost one-and-a-half hours.

The court also heard an initial plea, submitted by PTI founder Imran Khan, requesting the dismissal of charges due to insufficient evidence. The petition will be heard on Friday (today) in the ATC. Later on, KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur told journalists outside the jail on Thursday that of the 200, the number of missing people was now only 54. Gandapur said the founder of PTI had been consulted on the civil disobedience movement. He said that inquiries were being made at the cabinet and provincial levels regarding the martyrs and injured. “In the current situation, I am forced to think for Pakistan. I hope that all political parties would think about it and find a solution. If the government gives a green signal for talks, a positive response will also come,” he added. Gandapur said discussions continue in his official meetings, where he talks and hopes for positive progress from both sides by Saturday.

Meanwhile, Shah Mahmood Qureshi called for holding dialogue instead of “confrontation”, saying that the issues should be resolved through mutual consensus. “Pakistan needs political stability at this time...political stability is vital for economic stability,” the former foreign minister said while speaking to journalists in Adiala jail.

Qureshi said that his party was being subjected to political vengeance, noting that he was in Karachi when the May 9 events took place. He pointed out that in his last meeting with the PTI founder, he suggested postponing the civil disobedience movement to “gauge the seriousness of the government for negotiations”.

Furthermore, the PTI leader asked the government to hold talks if the rulers were serious about it. “The government, earlier, sought a conducive environment for talks from PTI,” he said, adding that now when his party has constituted a committee, they are not showing seriousness. “Political dialogue is the only way out under the current circumstances,” he added.

In response to a question regarding his meeting with PTI’s current leadership, Qureshi said that he has conveyed his point of view to the leadership, adding that they should get a chance for negotiations. “I have 40 years of political experience,” he said, adding that he has asked the party leadership to pay heed to his advice too.