Islamabad ATC issues non-bailable arrest warrants for Gandapur, three others

• Warrants issued for Wasiq Abbasi, Aamer Kiani, Raja Rashid.
• Court declares ex-PTI leader Umer Butt absconder.
• ATC approves Faisal Javed’s plea for exemption from appearance.

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

Some of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) current and former leaders had been booked in a case under terrorism charges at I-9 police station in Islamabad.

Beside Gandapur, the court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for former deputy speaker Punjab Assembly Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Istehkam-e-Pakistan leader Aamer Mehmood Kiani and PTI leader Raja Rashid Hafeez are among those 

It also declared ex-PTI leader Umer Tanveer Butt an absconder over his continuous absence at the case proceedings. 

However, the court approved PTI leader Faisal Javed’s plea for exemption from appearance in the case hearing.

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, while issuing the arrest warrant of Gandapur, turned down his bail petition, saying relief could not be provided every time without a solid reason.

The defendant’s lawyer informed the judge that the KP chief minister had told him that he could not appear before the court due to closure of routes.

"The court should grant one [more] chance, Ali Amin will [definitely] appear before the court,” the lawyer said. To which, the judge replied that he fixed the hearing date of Gandapur’s choice last time as well, but to no avail.

Later, Judge Spira adjourned hearing of the case till October 3.

The arrest warrant for Gandapur comes ahead of the much-hyped PTI power show in Lahore, set to take place today at 3pm under strict conditions imposed by the district administration. The KP CM is leading a caravan of PTI supporters from DI Khan to Lahore to participate in the Kahna rally. 

PHC stops authorities from arresting Gandapur

On the other hand, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) recently granted the KP CM a protective bail, directing the authorities concerned to prevent his arrest in all the provinces till October 5.

The court issued detailed order in this regard shortly after the release of arrest warrant by the Islamabad court today. 

The order said the petitioner expressed fear of arrest in the federal capital and Punjab after he was nominated in multitude of cases.

"The applicant has sought details of all the cases lodged against him in the federal capital and Punjab. He believes that all the cases are politically-motivated and mala fide," it said, adding that every citizen had the right to know about the cases filed against him before his arrest.

The PHC said the applicant had sought protective bail to appear in the relevant courts. Since he was a public representative, he could not go into hiding.

Judicial complex riots

On March 18, 2023, PTI workers suddenly began pelting stones at the authorities inside the premises of the Federal Judicial Complex during PTI founder Imran Khan’s appearance before different courts in connection with multiple cases filed against him.

The former prime minister came with hoards of people — who had wooden sticks and stones in their hands — from the opposite side of the road in violation of Section 144.

The situation resulted in injuring 52 police and personnel of other assisting forces, said the police, adding that the PTI workers also damaged 12 Islamabad police vehicles.

Three police vehicles of the Punjab police and Frontier Corps (FC) were also damaged by agitated workers. Moreover, the workers also set fire to four cars of the federal police which were completely burned, added the police.

Subsequently, a terrorism case was registered against the PTI workers at the counter-terrorism department (CTD) police station for vandalism.

Islamabad police had also registered an FIR against the PTI chief and other party leaders for their alleged involvement in attacking cops, torching vehicles and destroying property.