ISLAMABAD:
A judicial magistrate in Islamabad has ordered the arrest of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur after dismissing his application seeking exemption from personal appearance in a long-pending case pertaining to the recovery of liquor and illegal arms.
Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hassan Chishti on Saturday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the chief minister and directed the station house officer (SHO) concerned to ensure his production before the court. A notice was also issued to the SHO for immediate compliance.
The case dates back to October 2016, when the Islamabad police claimed to have recovered five Kalashnikov assault rifles, a pistol, six magazines, a bulletproof vest, alcohol and three tear gas shells from a vehicle belonging to the PT) leader outside Bani Gala.
Gandapur, however, has consistently denied the police allegations. He stated that he had been traveling with two licensed Kalashnikov rifles and maintained that a valid arms licence was present in the vehicle. Regarding the alleged recovery of liquor, he claimed that the bottle in question contained honey, not alcohol.
During Friday’s hearing, the magistrate observed that the case has remained pending for nearly eight years. The prosecution completed the recording of witness statements in May 2024, yet the accused has failed to record his statement under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The court remarked that it had provided the accused ample opportunity, and warned that a verdict could be announced even in his absence should he fail to appear at the next hearing. “No further relief will be granted if the statement is not recorded by July 21,” the magistrate stated in his written order.
The court also noted that the Peshawar High Court’s bail order did not mention the present case and did not bar this court from issuing arrest warrants. The hearing was adjourned until July 21.
