RAWALPINDI: Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Shehryar Afridi were among 14 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members indicted on Thursday in a case concerning the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ) during violent protests on May 9, 2023. The protests were sparked by the arrest of PTI’s founder in a corruption case.
Earlier this week, former PTI leader Shireen Mazari and eight others were indicted in the same case. During that hearing, three of the accused — Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Colonel (retd) Ajmal Sabir Raja, and Sikandar Zeb — refused to sign the charge sheet, arguing that the evidence presented against them was insufficient. They requested the court to hear their applications under Section 265-D of the Criminal Procedure Code before proceeding further.
This month, PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan was also indicted in the same case by Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Amjad Ali Shah, alongside several other PTI leaders and supporters. Imran has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail since August 2023 and was arrested in connection with the May 9 protests earlier this year.
Other PTI leaders and members indicted on Thursday include Senator Shibli Faraz, Latasib Satti, Omar Tanveer Butt, Kanuzal Shuzaff, Taimur Masood, Saad Ali Khan, Zohaib Afridi, Fahad Masood, and Raja Nasir Mahfouz. A total of 113 PTI leaders and supporters have been indicted in this case to date.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Afridi, and Shuzaff have filed applications under Section 265-D, challenging the framing of charges against them. The court has scheduled a hearing on these applications for Friday at Adiala Jail. Judge Amjad Ali Shah indicated that Gandapur’s arrest warrant would be cancelled if he appears in court.
‘Political Revenge’ Alleged
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Qureshi said he was being targeted for “political revenge.” He claimed he was in Karachi on May 9 and not in Rawalpindi, where the protests occurred.
“I challenge the prosecution to take oaths under Section 16 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) alongside me to establish the facts,” said Qureshi, who previously served as Pakistan’s foreign minister.
Qureshi also expressed dissatisfaction over his current position within the party, saying, “I should be heard within the PTI. Consultation has always been a tradition in politics. I am the only PTI member who has served at local, provincial, and federal levels.”
On PTI’s civil disobedience campaign, Qureshi suggested postponing it, stating, “This country needs political stability for economic progress and security. The government must engage in serious negotiations.”
Gandapur, represented by lawyer Ghulam Hasnain Sumbal, has also sought relief in 12 other cases related to the May 9 incidents.
