RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has issued a fresh notification directing that all eleven May 9 violence-related FIRs registered against former prime minister Imran Khan be tried in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rawalpindi through video link from Adiala jail, where the PTI founder is currently imprisoned.
According to the notification issued by the Home Department, the decision has been made under Sections 15(2) and 21(2)(b) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, citing security concerns and the need to prevent any untoward incident during hearings.
The FIRs were lodged at various Rawalpindi police stations, including RA Bazaar, Civil Lines, City, Waris Khan, New Town, Morgah, Sadiqabad, Saddar Wah, and Cantt. All these cases have now been consolidated before the same ATC for streamlined proceedings.
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The order replaces earlier notifications dated June 21, 2023, October 4, 2023, and November 6, 2024, the last of which was withdrawn after being challenged before the Lahore High Court (LHC). With this latest notification, the Punjab government has once again sanctioned remote proceedings for all May 9 cases.
An ATC in Rawalpindi had earlier upheld the provincial government’s stance in a similar case concerning the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ), ruling that Imran Khan’s appearance via video link was valid.
Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023, sparked nationwide riots, during which government buildings and military installations — including the GHQ — were attacked. Dozens of cases were subsequently registered under anti-terrorism provisions against PTI leaders and workers.
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The notification has been circulated to relevant officials, including the advocate general of Punjab, the registrar of the LHC, the presiding judge of the ATC Rawalpindi, and the inspector general of prisons, instructing the superintendent of Adiala jail to ensure the PTI founder’s safe participation through video link.
While the provincial authorities maintain that the decision is purely a security measure, Imran Khan’s legal team has denounced the move as politically motivated, arguing it compromises the principle of open and fair trial.
The consolidated virtual trial is expected to accelerate proceedings in all pending May 9 cases in Rawalpindi but is also likely to rekindle legal debates over judicial transparency and the rights of the accused.
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