Jinnah House Vandalism: Ex-PTI MPA among 16 handed over to army for trial

A Lahore anti-terrorism court has approved the request to hand over 16 individuals including ex-PTI MPA accused of vandalizing Jinnah House on May 9 to the army in order to try them under the country’s military laws.

The court ordered all 16 individuals, including ex-PTI MPA Mian Muhammad Akram Usman, to be handed over to commanding officer Irfan Athar.

The other accused include Amar Zohaib, Ali Iftikhar, Ali Raza, Muhammad Arsalan, Muhammad Umair, Muhammad Raheem, Zia-ur-Rehman, Waqas Ali, Raees Ahmad, Faisal Irshad, Muhammad Bilal Hussain, Faheem Haider, Arzam Junaid, Muhammad Hashir Khan, and Hassan Shakir.

“In view of the request made by Irfan Athar, Commanding Officer/Military Officer, duly forwarded by the prosecution as the case of above mentioned accused is exclusively triable by a military court, therefore, while accepting the request of Commanding Officer u/s 549(3) Cr. P.C, read with Rule 7(f) of Criminal Procedure (Military Offenders) Rules 1970, Superintendent, Camp Jail, Lahore is directed to hand over the custody of above said accused to Commanding Officer for further proceedings in accordance with the law,” the order stated.

“They are found guilty of offenses Under Sections 3,7 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 read with Section 2(1)(d) and 59(4) of Pakistan Army Act, 1952, exclusively triable by Military Court, to the acceptance of which leamed DPG did not raise any objection and forwarded the request for appropriate orders,” it added.