Imran Khan indicted in army headquarters attack case

The jailed founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was among the 143 accused named in the case registered at R A Bazar police station in Rawalpindi following the attack at the army’s headquarters on May 9, 2023.

After Khan was arrested in an accountability case last year, hundreds and thousands of his followers and party workers vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander House), Mianwali Airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad on May 9. The Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi was attacked by the mob for the first time.

Thursday’s development came during a hearing of the case in the Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court (ATC). Judge Amjad Ali Shah conducted the hearing at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Khan has been incarcerated since last year.

Khan was present in the court and pleaded not guilty after the charges were read. Other key leaders indicted include former interior minister Sheikh Rashid, former provincial law minister Raja Baharat, and current leader of opposition Omar Ayub.

Both Basharat and Ayub, along with some others, were arrested after the indictment.

According to state-run PTV, at least 60 accused were indicted on Thursday.

At least 23 accused, including Zulfiqar Bukhari, Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed and Shahbaz Gill, have already been declared as fugitives due to non-appearance in the court.

Later, the hearing was adjourned until December 10, when the trial of the accused would begin.