Court orders video-link appearance as proceedings continue; Imran Khan later boycotts hearing
RAWALPINDI — An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Friday turned down Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) request that party founder Imran Khan appear in person in the General Headquarters (GHQ) attack case tied to the May 9 unrest. Judge Amjad Ali Shah said the Punjab government’s directive requires Khan to attend by video link, and the court dismissed the plea for his physical presence.
The ruling follows a flurry of administrative changes this week. Two days earlier, the Punjab government had cancelled jail trials for all May 9 cases and revoked a prior notification, but a fresh notice stipulates that Khan will join hearings remotely while the other defendants must appear in court.
Khan joined Friday’s hearing by video after multiple connection attempts. Court records show he logged on about 11:25 a.m. after the bench was told his appearance would be delayed from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. During the session, his lawyer Faisal Malik was permitted a private conversation with Khan over the link. Counsel later informed the bench that the party was challenging the video-link order in the high court and sought instructions.
According to the prosecution, instead of confining remarks to legal issues, Khan used the video appearance to address political topics. Following counsel’s statement that the challenge of the video-link notification was underway, PTI’s legal team boycotted further proceedings. The ATC carried on, recording testimony from two prosecution witnesses, Sub-Inspector Saleem Qureshi and Sub-Inspector Manzoor Shehzad.
The court adjourned until September 23 and summoned 10 additional witnesses for the next date. Those witnesses are expected to come from the Federal Investigation Agency, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, the Press Information Department, Internal Security, and the Ministry of Interior.
Background of the GHQ attack case
The GHQ attack case stems from nationwide violent protests on May 9, 2023, that followed Imran Khan’s arrest in a high-value settlement matter. In December 2024, Khan and dozens of PTI members were indicted in connection with attacks on military and civil installations, including the Jinnah House and the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Authorities named more than 140 individuals as accused, listed 23 people as fugitives and barred the accused from travelling abroad. Prosecutors allege that roughly 70 PTI leaders played roles in planning and inciting the unrest.
What to watch next
The legal fight over Khan’s mode of attendance — remote versus in-person — is likely to continue in higher courts even as the ATC proceeds with hearings. The summons for multiple federal witnesses signals that the prosecution intends to press forward with evidence, while PTI’s legal challenges could shape how future sessions are conducted.
