Relaxation for ‘arsonists’ even if they quit PTI Absolutely Not : Rana Sanaullah

GHQ attack case: Military gets custody of 12 suspects,

ISLAMABAD – Interior Minister said on Monday there would be no relaxation for those who attacked military installations even if they had left the PTI.

Speaking to program PVT  TV, he said if other leaders distanced themselves from the party and condemned the May 9 attacks, they might be awarded relaxation. “Any person who was inside the red line of the Lahore’s Corps Commander House will not be exempt from punishment,” he added.

He went on to say that there were two types of those involved including motivators and doers. “PTI chief Imran Khan is among the motivators,” he added. Upon being countered that Mr Khan was not inside the physical red line, he repeated Mr Khan was an instigator.

Mr Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi was also among the motivators, he said. As for the treatment of PTI’s women leaders in jail, he assured that women would not be ill-treated.

Upon Mr Khan’s arrest before elections, he said Mr Khan could be arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case and May 9 attacks cases as well. “He could be disqualified if he is convicted after arrest,” he added.

On the question of law enforcers taking preemptive measures before the attacks, he said the operation would have been successful if the state had used full force. “The government did not give a go ahead to law enforcers because there were chances of bloodshed, and it might have given Mr Khan an opportunity to use it as a political stunt,” he added.

As for the question of military trials, Mr Sanaullah said trial would be conducted after thorough investigation into their role in the attacks. “Some people have even stolen sensitive documents from the Corps Commander’s House,” he added.

No decision had been taken for [indicting] Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed yet, he said.

On putting Mr Khan under military trial, he said the military would take the final decision on it, adding that Mr Khan was the main instigator. “Military’s team has been constituted to try him in seven cases,” he added.

, he said the PML-N would move the court for review on Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification as the party chief. “The party will request CJP Bandial to step aside for the case,” he added.

Mr Sharif’s return to the country was conditioned upon his health and elections in the country, he said. “Elections should be held in October and they will be,” he added.

Earlier,

A Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday approved the requests to hand over 12 suspects to military involved in the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ) gate on May 9.

The suspects will be handed over to the military commanding officers for trials in military courts.

Judge Hamid Hussain issued the order to the Superintendent of Adiala Jail, where a total of 105 accused have been imprisoned in different cases in connection with May 9.

The military commanding officers had filed applications, seeking the transfer of the suspects arrested in cases registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) in RA Bazar and Civil Lines police stations.

The order, pertaining to the case registered in the Civil Lines police station, mandates the handover of Ali Hussain, Lal Shah, Shehryar Zulfikar, Hussain, Nadir, and Farhad Khan to commanding officer Farhan Nazir Qureshi.

Similarly, the suspects including Muhammad Idris, Umar Farooq, Raja Muhammad Ehsan, Muhammad Abdullah, Raja Danish, and Aswad are to be transferred to commanding officer Muhammad Yasir Nawaz Cheema.

It is worth noting that one of the arrested accused, Muhammad Idris, was a Grade-11 employee of the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation, who has also been dismissed from his job under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act.

As per the court order, the suspects have been charged under Sections 3, 7, and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, as well as Section 21D of the Army Act.

Therefore, their trial falls under the jurisdiction of the military court.

The special police teams investigating the GHQ attack case have thus far arrested a total of 105 suspects, with 20 of them being identified by witnesses in Central Jail Adiala two days ago.

The process of identification parade for more suspects is underway.