An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad has issued arrest warrants for former president Arif Alvi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and 50 other PTI leaders. The case relates to a protest held on November 26, and the warrants were issued after the leaders failed to appear before the court despite multiple summons.
The ATC issued 41 fresh warrants on Thursday under FIR No. 1193, registered at Karachi Company police station. Earlier, warrants for 9 other PTI leaders were already in place, raising the total number of warrants to 50. The court directed authorities to arrest the accused and produce them immediately.
Key political figures facing arrest include Shibli Faraz, Faisal Javed, Murad Saeed, Ahmed Niazi, Asad Qaiser, Hammad Azhar, Aleema Khan, and Sher Afzal Marwat, among others. ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain emphasized that repeated absence of the accused leaves the court with no option but to proceed legally.
Meanwhile, officials confirmed that 32 separate cases were filed across the Rawalpindi Division related to protests on November 24 and 26. These include a high-profile FIR in Taxila involving Bushra Bibi in connection with the death of a police constable during the November 26 demonstrations.
The case has added to PTI’s mounting legal troubles, as many of its senior leaders now face arrest and court proceedings. Party insiders claim the move is politically motivated, while legal experts suggest courts are merely following due process in protest-related FIRs.
In related news, PTI leader Hammad Azhar is expected to seek protective bail from the Peshawar High Court to avoid arrest in over 50 pending cases. The legal battle for PTI’s top brass continues to intensify amid a tense political climate.