ISLAMABAD: A local court in Islamabad issued arrest warrants for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Monday, following his failure to appear in court in a case involving the recovery of liquor and illegal weapons.
Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hassan Chishti issued the warrants after dismissing Gandapur’s request for exemption from personal appearance. The court directed authorities to arrest Gandapur and present him at the next hearing, which is scheduled for 22 July.
The case, which dates back to October 2016, alleges that Islamabad police recovered five Kalashnikov assault rifles, a pistol, six magazines, a bulletproof vest, a bottle of alcohol, and three tear gas shells from a vehicle belonging to Gandapur, parked outside Bani Gala.
Gandapur has consistently denied the allegations, claiming that the rifles were licensed and that the bottle in question contained honey, not alcohol.
Earlier on Saturday, the magistrate issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Gandapur and ordered the relevant station house officer (SHO) to ensure his appearance in court.
The case, which has been pending for nearly eight years, saw progress in May 2024 when the prosecution completed recording witness statements, but Gandapur has yet to submit his own statement under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
