An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has sentenced 47 people in the May 9 GHQ attack case to 10 years in prison after concluding their trial.
ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah announced the verdict, according to which the convicts were found involved in the conspiracy behind the May 9 incidents. The court also ordered the seizure of the properties of the convicts.
According to the prosecution, 19 witnesses were recorded during the trial of the 47 people who were convicted today. A total of 44 prosecution witnesses have been recorded in the case so far.
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had declared the accused key suspects in the planning of the May 9 incidents. The accused were found involved in attacks on the GHQ Gate, Hamza Camp and Army Museum, besides allegations of arson, vandalism and damage to important government buildings and installations.
Those named among the accused include Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Murad Saeed, Zulfi Bukhari, Shahbaz Gill, Ali Amin Gandapur, Shandana Gulzar, Hammad Azhar and Azam Swati.
Other accused include Ahmed Chatha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Rai Murtaza, Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Usman Saeed Basra, Ijaz Khan Jazi, Shibli Faraz and Kanwal Shozab.
The case was registered against a total of 118 accused. During the proceedings, 18 accused were declared absconders, while 29 did not appear before any court after the registration of the case.
The court conducted separate trials of the declared accused in connection with the May 9 GHQ attack case and subsequently announced the verdict against the 47 accused.
