SHC issues notices in cases against Gandapur

Counsel says multiple cases under the same charge is against the law

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday issued notices to the home secretary and police chief on a petition against the arrest of Ali Amin Gandapur, a senior leader of Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, on charges invoked against him in dozens of cases across the country.

The lawyer for the petitioner, Omer Amin, contended before the court that dozens of cases have been registered against his client across the country under the same charge, but as per rules, multiple cases cannot be registered under the same charge.

Amin further stated that three cases have been registered against Gandapur in different cities of Sindh on the same charge.

He requested the court to restrain the police from registering more cases against his client and arresting him in such cases without the court’s permission.

He further prayed for the court to order the release of his client on bail and declare the cases against him null and void.

The court issued notices to the Sindh home secretary and IG police and sought their response.

While speaking to the media outside the court, another PTI leader Azam Swati said that the biggest threat to Pakistan was from “its guards”.

“What we have been seeing for the past year happens when the thieves and the watchmen collude,” he added.

Swati said that the chief justice of Pakistan was the guardian of the Constitution and law. The chief justice has asked the attorney general who has given the authority to the Senate chairman to form a reconciliation committee.

“The Senate chairman is a representative of the establishment,” Swati added.

Swati, who has also been arrested and tried in dozens of politically-motivated cases, said that Gandapur was a “great player of Kaptan [Imran Khan]”.

“Now the time has come that law and justice prevailed in the country,” he said, adding that the PDM government would collapse within a moment if the “patrons” withdraw support.

While speaking alongside Swati, the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh said that Asif Zardari has created hatred in the “land of Sufis”.

He claimed that criminal elements were plaintiffs in the cases fabricated against Gandapur. Haleem said that bounties were being announced on the dacoits of the Katcha area.

“But nothing will happen until a reward is announced on the dacoits of the Pakka area,” he said while referring to the PPP and its leaders.

“We hope the judiciary will administer justice,” he said.

Former governor Imran Ismail said that Gandapur’s long hair has been cut off to humiliate him.

“Remember, what goes around comes around. Rana Sanaullah’s moustache can also be cut tomorrow,” he said, referring to the federal interior minister.

Ismail said that Gandapur handled the security of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

“The government claims that Imran Khan has a threat to his life from outside forces, but the fact is that the government itself wants to remove Imran Khan,” he claimed.