Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hussain Zaidi issued the order after Gandapur failed to appear in court.
Is KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur ‘arrested’ from KP House? Media reports claiming the arrest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur from KP House was dismissed by government sources minutes after police and rangers entered KP House in Islamabad.
Sources said that legal proceedings will be initiated against Gandapur for inciting violence against the state. KP CM has been accused of damaging public property and misusing government resources, State-run PTV reported.
Earlier, PTI officials and Ali Amin’s brother Faisal Amin claimed that a heavy contingent of police and Rangers entered the KP House and took Gandapur into custody. However, govt refuted the reports.
KP CM Advisor on Information Barrister Saif has said that Gandapur was not taken into custody “formally” but a heavy contingent of Rangers and police are present at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House.
Taking on X, the PTI leader said that the CM was on bail till October 25, adding that his arrest would be tantamount to contempt of court. “Fake government will have to answer for such unconstitutional and illegal actions,” he added.
وزیر اعلیٰ خیبر پختونخوا @AliAminKhanPTI کو باظابطہ طور پر گرفتار نہیں کیا گیا ہے،رینجرز اور پولیس کی بھاری نفری خیبرپختونخوا ہاؤس میں موجود ہیں،وزیر اعلیٰ خیبر پختونخوا 25 اکتوبر تک ضمانت پر ہیں، ان کی گرفتاری توہین عدالت ہوگی،وزیر اعلیٰ کو اگر گرفتار کیا گیا تو خیبر پختونخوا کی…
— Barrister Dr Muhammad Ali Saif (@BaristerDrSaif) October 5, 2024
However, taking on X, PTI lawmaker and opposition leader Omar Ayub confirmed the arrest of firebrand Gandapur, saying, “Rangers and Islamabad Police have breached the territory of KP and have executed an illegal arrest.”
He further wrote, “CM Ali Amin Khan has been granted bail by the Peshawar High Court. CM Ali Amin Khan is part of the ‘state’ as defined in the Constitution.”
CM Ali Amin Khan Gandapur arrested illegally from KP House Islamabad. Rangers and Islamabad Police have breached the territory of KP and have executed an illegal arrest. CM Ali Amin Khan has been granted bail by the Peshawr High Court. CM Ali Amin Khan is part of the ‘state’ as…
— Omar Ayub Khan (@OmarAyubKhan) October 5, 2024
The development came after a district and sessions court in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants for KP CM in an illegal arms and alcohol recovery case registered at Barakahu Police Station.
Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hussain Zaidi issued the order after Gandapur failed to appear in court. The court directed law enforcement to produce the chief minister by October 12 and adjourned the hearing.
Earlier in a post on X, the PTI announced the arrival of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM in Islamabad. Authorities had earlier dug trenches and placed iron nails on a stretch of the Islamabad-Peshawar motorway to prevent the KP CM convey from reaching the capital.
وزیراعلٰی خیبرپختونخوا علی امین گنڈاپور اسلام آباد کی حدود میں داخل ہو کر کارکنان کے ہمراہ پیدل آگے بڑھ رہے ہیں۔#چلو_چلو_ڈی_چوک_چلو pic.twitter.com/7VmWvKFaiD
— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 5, 2024
It is pertinent to mention that the Peshawar High Court on Friday granted protective bail to Ali Amin Gandapur till Oct 25, directing the law enforcement agencies not to arrest him in cases registered against him in Islamabad and the Punjab province.
In a separate development, Punjab Police arrested PTI MNA and former federal minister Zartaj Gul from his house in Dera Ghazi Khan, PTI claimed.
The party alleged that the lawmaker was not allowed to wear shoes and even take a dupatta. “These acts of cowardice can neither frighten nor demoralize us,” PTI wrote on X.
‘KP CM crossed all limits’
Interior Minister of Pakistan Mohsin Naqvi, in a press briefing at D-Chowk, warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) not to disrupt the law-and-order situation ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
He stated that KP CM Gandapur has “crossed all limits” but continues to test the patience of the federal government.
Naqvi accused the PTI leadership of tasking CM Gandapur to disrupt a law-and-order situation ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit where international heads of state are set to arrive in Pakistan for the first time in years.
“Chief Minister KPK Ali Amin Gandapur is leading a mob with the intent to storm Islamabad. He is fully responsible for the current situation,” Naqvi said, emphasizing Gandapur’s role in orchestrating unrest.
Naqvi warned that there would be consequences for his actions. “He will have to pay the price,” said Naqvi. “I still urge the CM and PTI leadership to avoid clashes and not force law enforcement agencies into taking extreme measures.”
To counter the potential threat, the government has deployed police, Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC), and even called in the Pakistan Army to ensure peace and security.
He added that dialogue could only happen if Gandapur showed seriousness, stating, “Dialogue is not possible alongside attempts to storm the capital.”
PTI workers booked
At least 200 PTI protesters were booked by the Rawalpindi police for “attacking and injuring” four cops under anti-terrorism provisions.
The case has been filed at the Sadiqabad Police Station and included many unidentified workers as co-accused.
The FIR said around 200-225 protestors started pelting stones and attacked the police with sticks, due to which four policemen got injured. It alleged that PTI workers attacked and damaged the screen of a police vehicle, adding that nearby shops were also damaged.
Islamabad at standstill
Following the protest call, roads leading to the Red Zone and D-Chowk were sealed from all sides, including Serena, Jinnah Avenue, Nadra Square, and the Marriott Hotel.
Entry and exit points of the twin cities, including Srinagar Highway at 26 no Chungi, Faizabad interchange, Sanjgani Toll Plaza, Margalla Road, and 9th Avenue were also closed with containers.
A public holiday has been announced in all private and public schools in the federal capital and the Metrobus service is suspended in Rawalpindi although operational in Islamabad from IJP to Pak Secretariat.
Internet and mobile network services have been temporarily suspended in several cities of Pakistan, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest call.
Moreover, the Islamabad authorities have banned pillion riding for two days (Friday and Saturday) in the federal capital. The order was issued by the Additional District Magistrate Usman Ashraf.
Following the federal government’s decision, the Punjab govt also imposed a ban on pillion riding in Rawalpindi and Attock. The ban has been imposed for two days under Section 144 in the two cities, reads the notification issued by the Punjab Home Ministry.
As of 12:30 pm, Downdetector, an internet monitoring website showed a spike in reported outages of Zong and PTCL services since around 5 am, with most of the complaints located near Rawalpindi.
