ATC issues non-bailable warrants for Gandapur, three others

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants on Saturday for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and three other politicians in connection with terrorism charges related to the vandalism at the Judicial Complex in Islamabad.

Several current and former members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have been booked in terrorism case registered at the I-9 police station in Islamabad.

In addition to Gandapur, non-bailable warrants are also issued by court for former Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Istehkam-e-Pakistan leader Aamer Mehmood Kiani, and PTI leader Raja Rashid Hafeez.

The court declared former PTI leader Umer Tanveer Butt an absconder due to his repeated absence from the proceedings.

However, the court granted PTI leader Faisal Javed an exemption from appearing at the hearing.

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra denied Gandapur’s bail petition while issuing the arrest warrant, stating that relief could not be granted without substantial grounds.

The lawyer for the defendant argued that the chief minister was unable to appear in court due to route closures.

The lawyer requested one more opportunity for Gandapur to appear before court, to which the judge responded that he fixed the previous date of hearing on KP minister choice, but to no avail.

The judge then adjourned the case until October 3.

The arrest warrant for Gandapur was issued just ahead of a highly anticipated PTI rally in Lahore scheduled for today at 3 PM. The KP CM is leading a caravan of PTI supporters from DI Khan to Lahore for the Kahna rally.