The questions and objections surrounded Friday’s audience as requests for Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf (PTI) the founder Imran Khan, to appear in person before the Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) was rejected and continued the procedures.
Strict security measures were established at the Rawalpindi ATC. More than 700 police and personnel officers were deployed, with more than 50 guards and officers assigned to guarantee a traffic flow without problems.
Outside the court, the road from the commissioner’s office to the district council door was completely sealed. Parking for lawyers, accused, multimedia vehicles and DSNG trucks was prohibited. The entry of additional lawyers in the courtroom was restricted, and carry mobile phones or record videos inside was declared a crime.
PTI leaders and the lawyer congregated outside, expressing concerns to the media about the restricted presence and public visibility of Imran Khan. Former Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry said Videolink’s demand was to keep PTI president in isolation. “These are not normal judicial procedures,” he said, noting that the ATCs do not allow photography or the media inside because “the courts are afraid of Imran’s photos. An image filtered from the Supreme Court, and half of the Supreme Court had to be suspended.”
Chaudhry referred to an image that was leaked last year when Imran appeared before a larger bank of five members led by the former president of Justice, Qazi Faez Isa, during a hearing of the Government’s Intra-Court appeal against the Government’s decision against the decision of the Apex Court to annul the amendments of the NAB Law.
When the news of the image was extended on social networks, an investigation began to identify the individual who leaked it.
The lawyer Faisal Malik reiterated that the founder of PTI must occur in the Court or a transparent prison trial should be organized.
A notification of the department of origin for a video trial was quickly challenged in the case of GHQ attack, while a separate request was presented that sought the appearance in the Imran court. PTI’s lawyers challenged notification in the ATC.
The ATC admitted the request of a hearing, with defense lawyers Faisal Malik and lawyer Ali Bukhari presenting arguments. The development occurred after the Punjab government formally withdrew its notification for a trial in jail in the case.
The procedure began with Imran’s lawyers objecting that they were not allowed to meet their client to prepare for the audience. The defense lawyer argued: “It is necessary to comply with the client before the trial procedures to take instructions.”
“The defendant is a former prime minister, but the law cannot be changed for him. There is already a judgment model just within the law. If the defendant is not satisfied with the trial, he must challenge her. We will not allow the trial to be kidnapped.
The defense replied: “Our direct argument is: Where is the defendant? We are not interrupting the trial; we only seek a consultation with our client. We demand from the court our fundamental right and the right of our client. They told us that the accused would occur through a video link, not a WhatsApp call.”
He said that the video testing notification was delivered on Thursday at 5 pm the lawyer Salman Akram Raja will challenge this notification on Friday at the Rawalpindi Bank of the Superior Court.
Imran briefly joined the hearing through Videolink, during which his lawyer informed the ATC: “The lawyers are boycotting in protest and also approaching the Superior Court.” Imran echoed the intentions of his lawyer: “Your decision is correct, I will also boycott”. As soon as Imran expressed his plan, Videolink turned off.
Imran and his lawyers announced a boycott of the GHQ case in the ATC about the concerns about the videolinks. Prosecutor Naveed Malik and Zaheer Shah, together with the legal team, were present during the procedures, which were heard by Judge ATC Amjad Ali Shah.
The lawyer Faisal Malik also declared: “How can there be a fair trial without the defendant? We have asked the court to summon the founder of PTI and wait for the court to convene it today. Look at the atmosphere outside: the government itself is part of this matter, so you cannot make a video trial.”
However, the procedure continued and statements of witnesses were recorded. The testimonies of two witnesses to the Prosecutor’s Office were recorded, the sub -inspector Salem Qureshi and the sub -inspector Manzoor Shehzad, and both presented 13 USB that contain several video clips to the court.
The lawyer Faisal Malik protested that the trial through Videolink was “absolutely illegal” and against the principles of justice. He highlighted how unreliable it was the connection of the video link and said that the video took place through WhatsApp.
The defense lawyer declared that the government prosecutor had also received notice and, until a decision is made, it is unlikely that Imran appears through a video link. The lawyer Faisal Malik said that Imran has instructed lawyers not to allow a video link trial.
“During WhatsApp the call, the voice was breaking and the image was not visible.” Salman Akram Raja is requesting the video link and will take the petition to the Superior Court. He stressed that this trial violates article 10-A of the Constitution and the requirements of a fair trial.
The court also prohibited obtaining a transcription of the Videolink hearing. The defense lawyer added that if the force is used to make the trial through the video link, Imran will not appear.
According to witnesses, 40 videos related to the founder of PTI on May 9 were downloaded. The Khadim Khokhar, Shehryar Aphridi, Umar Tanveer, Sadqat Abbasi and Sikandar Mirza’s video clips, along with cuts from different national newspapers, were presented through the USBS. The digital evidence was obtained from the CCTV cameras installed in Benazir Bhutto Road, Mall Road, Liaquat Bagh and the nearby areas, witnesses said.
The court dismissed the request to produce the founder of PTI in person. According to the notification of the Punjab government, the founder of PTI will continue to appear through a video link, the court said. He invoked 10 witnesses from the Federal Research Agency, the Pakistan electronic media regulatory authority, the Press Information Department, internal security and the Ministry of Interior for the next hearing.
The court had summoned three key witnesses for Friday. Of 119 witnesses, the statements of 27 have already registered. After a two and a half months gap, witness statements were heard in the case of GHQ attack.
The case has been postponed until September 23.
Read: ATC orders that Imran Khan appears through a video link at the next audience
GHQ attack
An anti -terrorism court (ATC) in December 2024 accused former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other PTI leaders in relation to the attack of May 9, 2023 against the General Headquarters (GHQ).
Earlier this year, Imran Khan was arrested in the case of GHQ attack, and shortly after, his release order was issued in the Cypher case. Express News obtained a copy of the GHQ Attack case, describing 27 severe positions against Imran Khan and other accused people.
Read more: Imran Khan accused in the case of May 9 attack by GHQ
The report alleges that, under the leadership of former provincial law minister, Raja Basharat, the defendant assaulted the GHQ door, causing significant damage to property despite the fact that military personnel warned that it is warned.
It is also alleged that the defendants divided into sensitive areas of GHQ, caught fires, threw gasoline bombs and created chaos inside the facilities.
According to the report, the songs like “No Pakistan without Khan” and “behind this terrorism is the uniform” supposedly raised, attacking military personnel and attacking the reputation of the armed forces of Pakistan.
The investigation report establishes that the attacks were also carried out in sensitive ISI and GHQ offices, characterizing the protest as a criminal conspiracy.
