An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants on Saturday for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and three other lawmakers on terrorist charges in connection with damage at the Judicial Complex in Islamabad.
A number of the leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), both past and present, were arrested at the I-9 police station in Islamabad on terrorism-related allegations.
In addition to Gandapur, the court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, the former deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Aamer Mehmood Kiani, a member of Istehkam-e-Pakistan, and Raja Rashid Hafeez.
Umer Tanveer Butt, the former leader of the PTI, was also designated an absconder due to his persistent absence from the judicial proceedings.
However, PTI leader Faisal Javed’s request to be exempted from attending the case hearing was granted by the court.
While granting Gandapur’s arrest warrant, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra denied his request for release, stating that relief could not be granted consistently without a good cause.
The chief minister of KP had advised the defendant’s attorney that he would not be able to appear in court because of the shutdown of highways.
The attorney stated, “The court should give Ali Amin one [more] chance; he will [definitely] present before the court.” In response, the court stated that he had already set Gandapur’s preferred hearing date, but to no effect.
Judge Spira later postponed the case’s hearing until October 3.
The arrest order for Gandapur comes before of the much-hyped PTI strength show in Lahore, slated to take place today at 3pm under severe restrictions imposed by the district government.
To attend the Kahna rally, the PTI’s supporters are traveling from DI Khan to Lahore in a caravan headed by the KP chief minister.
