Lahore– A Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, a senior leader of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in connection with alleged violence against police during a party-led protest last October.
The court also issued non-bailable warrants for three other PTI leaders — Hammad Azhar, Saeed Sindhu, and Shehbaz Ahmed. The warrants were issued at the request of Lahore police, who accused the leaders of repeatedly ignoring summons and failing to cooperate with the ongoing investigation, according to The Express Tribune.
The charges stem from an October 5, 2024, protest organized by PTI in Islamabad, where the party accused the federal government of political victimization, interference in provincial affairs, and suppressing its democratic rights. The demonstration, led by senior party officials including Gandapur, called for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan, among other demands.
The protest escalated into widespread clashes across Islamabad, resulting in the arrest of hundreds of PTI supporters and party members.
During the protest, Gandapur was detained in Islamabad on charges of misusing government resources. His arrest reportedly occurred as he prepared to lead a demonstration at D-Chowk in the capital. Prior to this, a separate court in Islamabad had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Gandapur in connection with unrelated illegal arms and liquor cases.
However, confusion arose when Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi denied Gandapur was in federal custody, claiming the chief minister had gone into hiding voluntarily.
The following day, Gandapur resurfaced and addressed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in Peshawar, where he condemned the federal government’s actions. He accused authorities of targeting PTI leaders, violating provincial autonomy, and attempting to undermine the party’s political mandate. Defending the protests, Gandapur denounced the government’s crackdown and vowed to resist what he called “federal interference.”
The latest arrest warrants further escalate tensions between PTI and the federal government, amid ongoing political instability and crackdowns on the party’s leadership. (Source: IANS)
