An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore has issued non-editors arrest mandates for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and four other leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-E-insaf (PTI) in a case linked to demonstrations and clashes with the police, express on Tuesday.
The case is linked to the PTI demonstration on October 5, 2024 in Lahore, the capital of the Punjab province, during which party supporters were violent against law enforcement agents.
The court published the mandates at the request of the Lahore police, who told court that the accused leaders had failed to join the investigation.
The administrative judge of the anti-terrorism court, Manzar Ali Gul, approved the request of the police and issued the non-reducing mandates.
Among the named people are the former federal minister and head of the PTI Hammad Azhar, as well as Saeed Sindhu and Shahbaz Ahmed.
The case was recorded at the Masti Gate police station.
On October 5, 2024, Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) organized a big demonstration in Islamabad, led by party personalities, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur. The demonstration was part of the current PTI campaign against the federal government, accusing the political victimization, interference in provincial issues and refusing to the party its democratic rights.
While supporters of the PTI entered the federal capital, tensions intensified between the demonstrators and the security forces. Violent clashes have been reported near key sites, including China Chowk, while the police were trying to disperse the crowds.
In the midst of these troubles, the chief minister Gandapur – which had been at the forefront of the convoy – suddenly disappeared. Video surveillance images later showed him in the house of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Islamabad, but which leaves shortly after in civilian clothes. His unexplained absence aroused concern within the party and among the public.
The assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa responded quickly, passing an emergency resolution condemning a raid on KP House and demanding the immediate release of Gandapur, assuming that it had been detained. PTI leaders, including Asad Qaiser, published public ultimatums, threatening national demonstrations if he was not produced within 24 hours.
However, the situation became more disturbed when the Federal Minister of the Interior Mohin Naqvi said that Gandapur was not in police custody and hid alone. This statement has only fueled political tensions and speculation.
Gandapur reappeared the next day, addressing the KP assembly in Peshawar. In a fiery speech, he accused the federal government of targeting the leaders of the PTI, of violating provincial autonomy and of trying to erase the political mandate of the party. He defended the demonstration, condemned repression and promised to continue to resist what he called “federal interference”.
