Court directs police to execute arrest warrant for CM Gandapur in weapons case

A district and sessions court in Islamabad has directed the senior superintendent of police (SSP) operations to execute the arrest warrant for Cheif Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Ali Amin Gandapur in connection with a case involving illegal weapons and liquor.

Senior Civil Judge Mubashir Hassan Chishti presided over the hearing on Wednesday, during which CM Gandapur failed to appear in court despite the standing arrest warrant.

The police were unable to execute the non-bailable arrest warrant, and no compliance report was submitted to the court.

The court has upheld the arrest warrant for Gandapur and summoned his surety, postponing the case hearing until October 26.

Last week, a district court in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants for K-P CM Gandapur in a case involving the recovery of illegal weapons and alcohol, court officials said.

A sessions court heard the case, which was filed against Gandapur in the Bahara Kahu police station, Express News reported.

Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hussain Zaidi presided over the hearing.

Gandapur, who has been summoned to court multiple times, failed to appear once again.

In response, the court issued non-bailable warrants for his arrest, ordering authorities to ensure his presence at the next hearing.

The warrant came in connection with a liquor and arms recovery case from 2016 when police had recovered weapons and liquor from Gandapur’s car outside the residence of then PTI chairman Imran Khan as he came to attend the party’s planned lockdown of the capital.

The provincial minister came in a motorcade along with 300-plus PTI workers. When they reached Banigala, the police blocked them off and told them they were violating a ban on rallies and gatherings under Section 144 before directing them to disperse.

When the PTI supporters accompanying Gandapur refused to disperse, the police began arresting them.

In the meantime, Gandapur got out of his car and ran into the adjacent forest. The police said they found a man sitting in Gandapur’s SUV (APL-16) holding a teargas gun.

The man was identified as Allah Nawaz, a resident of DI Khan – Gandapur’s hometown.

While searching the car, the police recovered a sealed bottle of high-end whisky, a bulletproof vest, two submachine guns, ammunition, and two number plates (YH-115).

The police claim that the weapons were unlicensed, while the PTI leader claims they were licensed weapons and belonged to his security guards. He had claimed the whisky bottle had honey in it