Court issues non-bailable arrest warrants for KP CM Gandapur, others

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Saturday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and two other PTI leaders Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi and Rashid Hafeez besides declaring Umar Tanvir Butt a proclaimed offender in the Judicial Complex attack case, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

During the hearing of pre-arrest bail petitions filed by PTI leaders, Raja Zahoorul Hassan, counsel for Gandapur, told the court that he had a telephonic talk with his client just now. “He has told me that due to the closure of the motorway, he cannot appear in court today,” the lawyer informed.

He further said that the court had already accepted bail petitions filed by other suspects in the case. “Although Gandapur was present outside the judicial complex on that day, he did not participate in any act of vandalism.”

Raja Hassan went on to say that so far 35 cases had been registered against his client, who is the chief minister of a province. “And still he appears in courts,” he said, and added, “I pray to the court to exempt the KP CM from appearance in the court today.”  

Gandapur’s lawyer said that he and his client were fully cooperating with the court as well as the police.

In response, Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra said that on September 4 his client had applied for an exemption from court appearance on medical grounds. “But he was alright during the party’s rally at Sangjani on September 8.”

Reporter: Hashir Ahsan