The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) resumed proceedings in the GHQ gate attack case at Adiala Jail, where significant progress was made, including additional indictments and debates over procedural concerns. The hearing was adjourned until December 24.
During Saturday's proceedings, three more suspects -- Zain Qureshi, Raja Nasir Mahfooz, and Raja Shahbaz -- were formally indicted, raising the total number of indicted individuals in the case to 116. Previously, 113 suspects had been charged in the case.
Prosecutor Zaheer Shah urged action against three absent suspects: Muhammad Asim, Bilal Ijaz, and Shaheer Sikandar. He called for their identity cards to be blocked, adding that a letter should be sent to the NADRA chairman to initiate the process.
Zaheer Shah also disclosed that Muhammad Asim had been in Saudi Arabia since November, raising questions about how he travelled abroad despite court orders. He requested an explanation from the director general of passport and immigration over this apparent lapse.
The court also heard arguments regarding a petition filed by PTI founder Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry, seeking CCTV footage of court proceedings held on December 5. Both prosecution and defense lawyers, including Faisal Chaudhry, Faisal Malik, and Muhammad Ali Bukhari, concluded their arguments on the matter.
Prosecutor Zaheer Shah argued that the jail premises fall under the jurisdiction of the Punjab Home Department. He advised the petitioners to approach the department for the footage or file a writ petition in the Lahore High Court if their request is denied. The court reserved its decision on the petition, which will be announced on December 24.
Suspect Raja Shahbaz filed a separate petition contesting the adequacy of evidence for his indictment. The court heard arguments from both sides and has reserved its decision.
The case has been adjourned until December 24, when decisions on the pending petitions are expected to be announced.
