Rawalpindi: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for 14 accused, including senior PTI leaders Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Kanwal Shauzab, and Chaudhry Asif, in connection with 12 cases related to the May 9 riots — among them the high-profile attack on the GHQ.
During the hearing, the defence counsels submitted exemption-from-attendance pleas on behalf of the accused. However, Prosecutor Zaheer Shah opposed the request, arguing that the accused had already been convicted and sentenced in related cases by courts in Lahore and Faisalabad, and were now absconding. He further noted that they had failed to appear before the Rawalpindi ATC after obtaining bail earlier, and urged the court to reject their applications.
The court agreed with the prosecution’s arguments, dismissing the exemption pleas and ordering the immediate arrest of the accused. It directed authorities to ensure their production before the court on September 3.
The cases are part of the broader crackdown linked to the May 9 violence, which saw attacks on sensitive military and government installations following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.
