Lahore( Khyber Point)Punjab authorities have withdrawn the notification ordering a jail trial in the General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case, paving the way for former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan to appear before the court via video link. The next hearing has been scheduled for October 1.
During proceedings at the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), Judge Amjad Ali Shah announced that Khan would participate virtually from prison, while three prosecution witnesses have been summoned for testimony on the same date. The court directed that the appearance of all summoned witnesses be ensured.
The GHQ attack case, part of the May 9 violence, has been pending for nearly three months. Alongside this case, hearings for all 12 related May 9 cases have also been adjourned until October 1. On that date, charge-sheet copies in 11 cases will be distributed among the accused.
Former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is also set to attend the October 1 proceedings via video link from Lahore jail. Meanwhile, the ATC issued summons for all co-accused, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. Arrest warrants had previously been issued against PTI leaders such as Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Kanwal Shauzab, and Zartaj Gul, who failed to appear in court. The court has now initiated legal proceedings to declare them absconders.
Additionally, the ATC confirmed that in the Faisalabad cases linked to May 9 violence, arrest warrants for 14 accused remain in effect. The Home Department’s notification withdrawing the jail trial was submitted in court by Prosecutor Ikram Ameen Minhas after defense lawyers formally requested it.
The GHQ attack trial and other May 9 cases will resume on October 1, with the court stressing that the presence of all accused must be ensured.
