Islamabad ATC Issues Non-Bailable Arrest Warrants for KP CM, PTI Lawmakers
- The court ordered police to arrest KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and several PTI-backed lawmakers.
- The cases relate to alleged violence during PTI’s November 26, 2024 protest in Islamabad.
- The warrants were issued after the accused repeatedly failed to appear before the court.
An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Thursday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and several other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed lawmakers in cases linked to the November 26 protests.
In a case registered at Ramna Police Station under terrorism and other charges, the court issued warrants for CM Afridi, KP Information Minister Shafi Jan, MNA Shahid Ahmed Khattak and MPA Meena Khan Afridi.
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The ATC directed the station house officer of Ramna Police Station to arrest the four accused and produce them before the court.
The case concerns their alleged involvement in violent demonstrations held on November 26, 2024. The protest was organised to pressure the federal government into securing the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.
The 71-year-old former prime minister and cricketer has remained imprisoned since August 2023. He has faced several cases involving charges ranging from corruption to terrorism since his government was removed through an opposition-led no-confidence vote in April 2022.
In a separate case connected to the same protests, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra issued non-bailable arrest warrants for eight PTI-backed legislators. The case was registered at Margalla Police Station.
Those named in the warrants include MNAs Shahid Khattak, Maulana Nasim Ali Shah, Aamir Dogar, Atif Khan and Iqbal Afridi, along with MPAs Meena Khan Afridi, Dr Amjad and Shafi Jan.
The court ordered police to arrest all eight accused and present them before it.
The latest development came a day after the ATC upheld arrest warrants for CM Afridi, Junaid Akbar, Abdul Ghani Afridi and several others in another case arising from the November 26 protests. The court rejected their applications seeking exemption from personal appearance.
Judge Sipra also instructed police to submit the challan against the accused at the earliest and adjourned further proceedings until September 30.
The court maintained the warrants after the accused repeatedly failed to attend the hearings. It rejected the exemption applications filed on behalf of those who remained absent and continued proceedings against the chief minister and the other accused.
