By Staff Reporter
RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday rejected pleas by former prime minister Imran Khan to halt proceedings in a case accusing him of involvement in a 2023 attack on the army’s General Headquarters, amid ongoing disputes over virtual court appearances plagued by technical glitches.
The ruling by Judge Amjad Ali Shah came during a hearing in which Khan, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, appeared briefly via a WhatsApp video call from Adiala Jail, where he has been incarcerated since August 2023. Khan’s lawyers boycotted the session, citing connectivity issues that disrupted communication, and argued that the setup denied their client a fair trial.
The case stems from violent protests on May 9, 2023, triggered by Khan’s arrest in a £190 million corruption settlement. Demonstrators torched and vandalized state buildings and military installations across the country, including the GHQ in Rawalpindi and Jinnah House in Lahore. At least 70 PTI leaders were accused of planning the events and inciting supporters to target those sites. Khan, along with dozens of other PTI workers, was indicted in the GHQ attack case in December 2024. Over 143 individuals were named as accused, with 23, including Zulfi Bukhari, Shahbaz Gill and Murad Saeed, listed as fugitives.
Khan was arrested by Rawalpindi police in the May 9 case in January 2024. Hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders were jailed for their alleged roles in the violence.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Khan’s lawyers, Salman Akram Raja and Faisal Malik, sought permission to consult with him privately. But the call was marred by disruptions: Khan’s voice was inaudible, and his image appeared blurred. The lawyers described the trial as “unfair” and rejected the recording of witnesses’ statements under those conditions.
“A mobile phone was placed before Khan sahib in jail, on which a video call was made. On this side, the judge received the call on a phone he had,” Raja told reporters afterward. He said Khan could not hear the courtroom proceedings, and those in court could not hear him. “Then obviously, Khan sahib is unaware of the testimonies being recorded.”
Raja added that they had requested to speak with Khan alone, but the judge cited a weak link. “But this right, too, was denied,” he said.
The lawyers conveyed to the court that they could not participate in the process. “There should be an open trial and the accused should be given the chance to talk to his lawyers,” Raja said. They prepared an application for submission and had already filed a plea against the process with the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench.
Despite the boycott, the court recorded statements from eight witnesses, including the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s additional director, the Federal Investigation Agency’s technical assistant and the Pakistan Information Department’s deputy director. A total of 41 witnesses have now testified in the case.
Khan had filed two petitions: one to stop proceedings until a high court ruling on transferring the trial, and another for CCTV footage from a Sept. 19 hearing. Malik argued that they did not want to proceed without consulting Khan. “[A] WhatsApp call cannot be considered as [attendance] via a video link,” he said, requesting more time to challenge the prior order.
The court responded: “During the last hearing, you consulted with the PTI founder who [then] boycotted the proceedings.” It added: “You can challenge it [however] the court proceedings cannot be stopped.”
Prosecutor Ikram Amin noted the defence’s boycott of the previous session. “The defence lawyers boycott court hearing and then ask for more time the next day. Their conduct shows that they are not serious about the trial,” he said, adding that the team was wasting time.
Prosecutor Zaheer Shah argued that questioning the court’s order amounted to contempt. Malik countered: “If the suspect cannot listen to his lawyer and vice versa, how is this a fair trial.”
On the CCTV request, Zaheer said that per Lahore High Court directives, neither footage nor transcripts could be provided. Raja responded: “The court does not operate on government instructions but works as per the constitution.” He stressed: “It is not possible to present a person locked in a cell on WhatsApp.”
The court advised the defence to challenge the order elsewhere but rejected both petitions. The hearing was adjourned until Sept. 27, with more witnesses summoned.
The decision follows last week’s rejection of Khan’s plea for in-person appearance, after the Punjab government canceled jail trials for all May 9 cases, including the GHQ attack.
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