A Gujranwala anti-terrorism on Saturday sentenced to life the primary shooter in a gun attack on a PTI march in Wazirabad — that left former prime minister Imran Khan injured — over murder and terrorism charges.

On November 3, 2022, during the PTI’s long march in the Wazirabad area of Punjab, a gunman opened fire, injuring Imran, Senator Faisal Javed, and several others, while one worker lost his life.

The PTI founding chairman had accused the then-coalition government and some military officials of involvement in the attack. However, a case of the incident was registered on behalf of the police. The case was lodged on November 7, and a joint investigation team (JIT) was formed under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997.

ATC Judge Muhammad Naeem Saleem pronounced the verdict in the case after a hearing today in which two co-accused, Tayyab Jahangir Butt and Waqas, were acquitted after being granted the benefit of the doubt.

According to a warrant of commitment of sentence issued today to the superintendent of the Gujranwala Central Jail, Naveed Bashir was sentenced to life imprisonment separately under Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) Section 302b (premeditated murder) and Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) Section 7a (punishment for acts of terrorism).

Under the two sections, he was also ordered to pay compensation of Rs500,000 to the legal heirs of slain PTI worker Moazzam in the form of arrears of land revenue, with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of failure to pay, and to pay a fine of Rs500,000, with further imprisonment for six months in case of default.

As restitution for Areeb, who suffered injuries in the attack, the convict was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under PPC Section 324 (attempt to commit qatl-i-amd) along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under ATA Section 7b and 7c along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; and to pay daman of Rs100,000 and rigorous imprisonment of three years for causing injury under PPC Section 337-Fiii (mutafahimah to any person).

As restitution regarding Meer Umar Farooq, another man who injured in the incident, the convict was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under PPC Section 324 along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under ATA Section 7b and 7c along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; and to pay daman of Rs100,000 and rigorous imprisonment of five years for causing injury under PPC Section 337-Fv (hashimah to any person).

As restitution regarding Imran Yousaf, the convict was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under PPC Section 324 (attempt to commit qatl-i-amd) along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under ATA Section 7b and 7c along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; and to pay daman of Rs100,000 and rigorous imprisonment of three years for causing injury under PPC Section 337-Fiii (mutafahimah to any person).

As restitution regarding Muhammad Liaquat, the convict was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under PPC Section 324 (attempt to commit qatl-i-amd) along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under ATA Section 7b and 7c along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; and to pay daman of Rs100,000 and rigorous imprisonment of three years for causing injury under PPC Section 337-Fiii (mutafahimah to any person).

The warrant said the sentences would run concurrently and the convict could avail the benefit of the Criminal Procedure Code Section 382-B (period of detention to be considered while awarding sentence of imprisonment).

The lawyer for the convict, Advocate Mian Dawood, announced that the sentence would be challenged in the Lahore High Court, citing alleged irregularities in the prosecution’s arguments and evidence pertaining to the accused.

Additional reporting by Rana Bilal.