Rawalpindi (Web Desk): An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi has issued arrest warrants for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and several senior members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in connection with the violent protests on May 9, 2023.
The protests involved attacks on military and government facilities, including the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
The court’s decision, announced on December 7, 2024, also includes prominent PTI leaders such as Shibli Faraz, Shehryar Afridi, Zain Qureshi, Tahir Sadiq, and Taimoor Masood. The Rawalpindi city police officer (RPO) has been directed to present these individuals in court by December 10.
This development follows the indictment of Imran Khan, the founder of PTI, and several others in connection with the GHQ attack.
A total of 100 individuals, including former interior minister Sheikh Rashid, have been charged in relation to the incident, which was reported at the RA Bazar Police Station.
The case involves more than 140 people, with 23, including notable figures like Zulfi Bukhari, Shahbaz Gill, and Murad Saeed, still at large. All those named in the case have been prohibited from leaving the country.
The protests, which erupted after Imran Khan’s arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on corruption charges, led to violent attacks on key locations such as the Jinnah House and the GHQ.
The military described May 9 as a "Black Day" and made it clear that those responsible for the attacks would face prosecution under the Army Act.
Many PTI leaders are accused of inciting and organizing the unrest, directing their supporters to target military and government installations following Khan’s detention.