KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur’s non-bailable arrest warrant issued in a case pertaining to arms & liquor recovery

ISLAMABAD, Sep 04 (SABAH): A court in Islamabad on Wednesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in a case pertaining to arms and liquor recovery.

The KP chief minister’s plea seeking exemption from attendance before the court on medical grounds was also rejected by the court.

Civil judge Shaista Khan Kundi ordered the Barakahu station house officer (SHO) to arrest Ali Amin Gandapur and produce him before the court.

Judge Kundi said the case was called thrice since morning and the suspect still did not show up.

Assistant to the lawyer, Fatahullah Burki said the chief minister could not turn up before the court due to the situation of floods.

Ali Amin Gandapur’s counsel Raja Zahoorul Hassan, on the other hand, said he would submit a medical report about Gandapur as he was unwell.

Expressing bewilderment over the contrasting statements, the judge remarked: “You said he was not doing well while your assistant said it was due to flood that he could not appear.”

Judge Kundi said she previously gave relief to the KP CM on the last hearing as well and adjourned the hearing for a long time as requested.

The lawyer said their acquittal plea was still pending before the court. The judge replied acquittal would not be granted, as per the Supreme Court ruling, if the case was on its last stages; hence, it would be disposed of on merit.

She added that it was for the eighth time that a statement could not be recorded under Section 342. “Then you say that you are not given a free trial,” she maintained.

The lawyer maintained it was injustice [to not grant him acquittal] as the suspect was a provincial chief minister. “If there is nothing in the case, be brave and face the court,” the judge advised before adjourning the hearing till tomorrow (Thursday).

A case was lodged against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader after recovery of five Kalashnikov rifles, a pistol, six magazines, a bullet-proof vest, three teargas shells, and bottles of alcohol in October 2016.

Gandapur, who then served as a provincial minister in KP, was charged under the illegal arms and anti-drugs laws after illicit arms and a bottle of liquor were allegedly recovered from his car.

A local court in Islamabad on March 7 this year overturned the trial court orders declaring KP CM Gandapur a “proclaimed offender” in the said case registered against him in Barakahu police station.

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of the case against KP chief minister pertaining to an attack on the Judicial Complex, Islamabad, on the basis of a medical certificate.

Submitting the medical certificate, Raja Zahoorul Hasan, Gandapur’s counsel, said his client could not appear before the court as his health condition was not well.

“Ali Amin Gandapur is suffering from pain in his leg and doctor has advised him to take rest for one week,” he said in response to the judge’s query why Gandapur did not appear for the hearing despite his lawyer’s taking time for Wednesday.

Hasan said the KP chief minister was on a visit to review the flood situation in his province, suddenly his foot slipped.