Gujranwala, April 26, 2025: An anti-terrorism court in Gujranwala on Saturday sentenced Naveed Bashir, the primary accused in the Wazirabad gun attack on a PTI rally, to life imprisonment on charges of murder and terrorism.
The attack, which occurred on November 3, 2022, during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s long march in Wazirabad, left former prime minister Imran Khan, Senator Faisal Javed, and several others injured, while a PTI worker, Moazzam, lost his life.
Imran Khan had accused members of the then-coalition government and some military officials of involvement in the attack. However, the case was officially registered by the police on November 7 under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, and a joint investigation team (JIT) was subsequently formed.
ATC Judge Muhammad Naeem Saleem announced the verdict today. Two co-accused, Tayyab Jahangir Butt and Waqas, were acquitted after being given the benefit of the doubt.
According to the commitment warrant issued to the superintendent of Gujranwala Central Jail, Naveed Bashir was sentenced separately under section 302b of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for premeditated murder and section 7a of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for acts of terrorism.
He was also ordered to pay Rs500,000 compensation to the legal heirs of Moazzam, or face six months’ additional simple imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs500,000, with another six months’ imprisonment if he defaults.
In addition, Bashir received multiple sentences for injuring several individuals during the attack.
All sentences will run concurrently, and Bashir will receive credit for time already served under Section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The convict’s lawyer, Advocate Mian Dawood, announced that the verdict would be challenged in the Lahore High Court, alleging irregularities in the prosecution’s evidence and proceedings.
