In a bold reaffirmation of state authority and the rule of law, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and several senior PTI leaders. This development stems from a case involving violent protests and police obstruction during a PTI-led agitation on October 5.
The ATC’s decision, made by Judge Manzar Ali Gul, is not just a procedural move it is a necessary message that no public office, title, or political allegiance can grant immunity from justice. Pakistan’s democratic evolution depends heavily on the strength of its institutions, and this moment signals that our legal system is unafraid to call even the highest-ranking officials to account.
The warrants, issued at the police’s request, underscore a troubling pattern: key PTI figures, including Gandapur, Hammad Azhar, Saeed Sindhu, and Shahbaz Ahmed, have reportedly failed to cooperate with the investigation. The case was lodged at Lahore’s Masti Gate Police Station and is grounded in well-documented acts of resistance against law enforcement.
Ali Amin Gandapur known for his fiery rhetoric and unwavering party loyalty may have sold personal assets for his political ambitions, as his fellow party member Marwat suggests. But personal sacrifice cannot erase the allegations of inciting unrest or evading justice. In a nation striving for internal peace and international credibility, such actions risk dragging Pakistan backward.
The law must remain above all personalities and parties. Whether it’s a provincial chief minister or a common citizen, the principle must be clear: if you obstruct the law, you will face it. This is how nations rise not through selective justice, but by empowering institutions to uphold order.
As Pakistan faces challenges of extremism, political polarization, and foreign skepticism, actions like these restore faith in the state’s resilience. The message is clear: Pakistan stands for accountability, and no individual however powerful is above it.
