GHQ Attack Case: Umar Ayub, Murad Saeed, Zulfi Bukhari Among 47 Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

RAWALPINDI March 7, 2026 
By Ali Imran Chattha | Nazrana Times

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has sentenced 47 people including several senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to 10 years in prison each for their alleged involvement in the May 9, 2023 attack on the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters (GHQ).The verdict, announced by ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah, also included a fine of Rs500,000 per convict and ordered the confiscation of their movable and immovable properties, according to court documents and official sources.Key Political Figures ConvictedAmong those convicted are prominent PTI leaders Umar Ayub Khan, Murad Saeed, Zulfi Bukhari, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, Sheikh Rashid Shafique, Shahbaz Gill, Muhammad Ahmed Chattha, Rai Hassan Nawaz, and Rai Muhammad Murtaza.Several other individuals were also found guilty in the same case, which is part of a broader investigation into the May 9 violence that spread across the country following the arrest of PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan.Background of the CaseThe unrest on May 9, 2023, witnessed large-scale protests that turned violent in several cities. Demonstrators allegedly attacked and vandalized military and government properties, including the GHQ gate in Rawalpindi, Hamza Camp, the Army Museum, and the Sixth Road Metro Station.Authorities accused the rioters of committing acts of arson, vandalism, and violence against police, leading to multiple cases registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).Trial in AbsentiaAccording to the judgment, all 47 individuals were tried in absentia after being declared proclaimed offenders.18 accused had repeatedly failed to appear before the court.29 others never presented themselves after the case was registered.The court proceeded under Section 21L of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which authorizes trials in absentia against absconding suspects.Right to RetrialThe court specified that if any of the convicted parties surrender within 60 days, they may request a retrial on merit, potentially allowing the current conviction to be set aside.PTI ResponseIn an official statement, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf denounced the ruling as politically motivated and unjust, vowing to challenge the verdict through legal and constitutional means.Broader ContextThis sentencing forms part of a wider investigation that includes 118 accused, among them Imran Khan and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Proceedings in the main trial are still underway, with witnesses continuing to record statements before the ATC