ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad District and Sessions Court on Monday directed the police to arrest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur after he repeatedly failed to appear for hearings in a case related to the possession and display of unlicensed weapons and liquor.
Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hasan presided over the hearing and expressed dissatisfaction with the failure to comply with court directives. The court was also informed that the investigating officer handling the case was absent during the proceedings.
The court further noted that the SSP Operations had failed to submit a compliance report regarding the previously issued non-bailable arrest warrant for Gandapur.
As a result, the hearing has been adjourned until January 21, with the court reiterating its order for law enforcement to execute the arrest warrant and ensure Ali Amin Gandapur’s appearance at the next session.
The case stems from an incident on October 31 2016 when Gandapur was booked by Islamabad Police. Police reportedly found illegal firearms and alcohol from inside Gandapur’s vehicle that was parked outside then PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s residence, after his arrival.
Gandapur, along with over 300 PTI supporters, arrived in a motorcade but was blocked by police at Banigala, who informed them of the Section 144 ban on rallies and gatherings. When Gandapur’s supporters refused to disperse, the police began arresting them.
As tensions escalated, Gandapur reportedly fled the scene, running into a nearby forest. During a search of his vehicle, a sealed bottle of high-end whisky, two submachine guns, ammunition, a bulletproof vest, and two number plates were recovered. A man identified as Allah Nawaz, from Gandapur’s hometown of Dera Ismail Khan, was found inside the vehicle, holding a teargas gun.
The police maintained that the weapons were unlicensed, while Gandapur insists they were licensed firearms belonging to his security detail. He further claimed that the whisky bottle actually contained honey, disputing the police’s account.
