Islamabad court issues arrest warrant for KP CM Gandapur
A district and sessions court in Islamabad issued an arrest warrant for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Wednesday. The warrant was issued after no representative appeared on his behalf during a hearing in the alleged liquor and illegal weapons recovery case. Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hassan directed authorities to arrest Gandapur and produce him before the court on September 17.
The development came a day after major rulings in Lahore linked to the May 9 riots. An anti-terrorism court (ATC) acquitted PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while sentencing other senior party leaders. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, and Umar Sarfraz Cheema were awarded 10 years in prison each over the violence at Rahat Bakery Chowk.
The case relates to the burning of a Supreme Court judge’s car during the May 9 protests. ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul announced the verdict inside Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore. PTI leader Khadija Shah received a five-year sentence, while Rubina Jameel and Afshan Tariq were acquitted.
The May 9 violence continues to carry legal and political consequences. Last month, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) de-notified multiple PTI lawmakers, including opposition leaders in the Senate and National Assembly, following their convictions.
