The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has issued a landmark verdict in the high-profile May 9 GHQ Attack Case. Judge Amjad Ali Shah has sentenced 47 proclaimed offenders—including top-tier political leadership and activists—to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of PKR 500,000 on each convict.
Court finds Ayub, Faraz, Saeed, Zartaj, Gill, Hammad, and others guilty of organising riots on May 9
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The Verdict: Accountability for “Orchestrated Violence”
The court’s decision follows a comprehensive investigation by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which identified the convicts as the “key planners and orchestrators” of the violent protests that shook the nation on May 9, 2023.
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The Convicts: Among those sentenced are prominent figures including Umar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, Rashid Shafiq, Shahbaz Gill, and Zulfi Bukhari.
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The Charges: The accused were found guilty of arson, vandalism, assault on law enforcement, and leading coordinated attacks on the GHQ Gates, Hamza Camp, and the Army Museum.
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Property Seizure: In addition to the prison terms, the court ordered the immediate seizure of all properties belonging to the 47 convicts, citing their direct involvement in planning acts of domestic terrorism.
Trial in Absentia and Legal Procedure
The legal proceedings took a decisive turn on January 6, 2026, when the prosecution moved to try the fugitives separately under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
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Failure to Surrender: Despite a seven-day grace period issued on January 8, none of the accused appeared before the court.
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State Representation: To ensure due process, the court appointed state counsels to represent the accused. During the trial, 19 witnesses provided testimony, and the state counsel conducted cross-examinations before the final completion of the case.
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The Broader Case: The 47 sentenced individuals were part of a larger group of 118 accused—including the PTI Founder and former Interior Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi—who were formally charged in December 2024.
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Upholding the Rule of Law
Judge Amjad Ali Shah noted that the evidence provided by the JIT and the recorded statements of 44 prosecution witnesses established a clear pattern of complicity. The court emphasized that the targeting of military installations was a “red line” and that the sentencing serves as a deterrent against future attempts to undermine state sovereignty through violent means.
While 47 have been sentenced today, the trial for the remaining accused, including those currently in custody, continues to proceed in the ATC Rawalpindi.
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