Court issues arrest warrants for KP CM Gandapur

ISLAMABAD — A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in connection with an alleged liquor and illegal weapons recovery case.

Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hassan issued the warrants after no representative appeared on Gandapur’s behalf during the scheduled hearing. The court ordered law enforcement to arrest and produce the chief minister before the court on September 17. The hearing has been adjourned until that date.

The case stems from earlier accusations involving the recovery of illegal arms and alcoholic beverages—charges Gandapur has denied in public appearances. His legal team has yet to issue a formal response to the latest court order.

May 9 Case Verdicts

The development comes a day after significant rulings were issued in a separate May 9 riots case involving several senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders. An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore acquitted Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while handing down 10-year prison sentences to Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, and Umar Sarfraz Cheema.

ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul delivered the verdict during a hearing held at Kot Lakhpat Jail. The case pertained to the burning of a Supreme Court judge’s vehicle at Rahat Bakery Chowk during protests on May 9, 2023.

The court also sentenced PTI leader Khadija Shah to five years in prison, while Rubina Jameel and Afshan Tariq were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

ECP Crackdown on Convicted Lawmakers

Following the convictions, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last month de-notified multiple PTI lawmakers, including opposition leaders in both houses of Parliament — Senator Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub Khan.

Read more: ATC acquits Shah Mahmood Qureshi, sentences key PTI leaders in May 9 case

The ECP’s move marks a broader crackdown on PTI leadership following the violent protests and cases linked to the May 9 incidents.