An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad declared Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur a proclaimed offender (PO) on Friday.
The case, filed at the I-9 police station, involves charges of vandalism and violating Section 144 in the federal capital. The court issued this order after Gandapur repeatedly failed to appear, despite being summoned several times.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra issued the ruling and said that Gandapur's case would be separated from the others, as he was now a proclaimed offender.
Non-bailable arrest warrants were also issued for suspects Raja Rashid, Wasiq Qayyum, Faisal Javed, and Umer Tanveer, who did not appear in court.
Lawyers for the absent suspects asked for their clients to be excused from appearing, but the court refused and canceled their bail bonds. The next hearing for the case was set for November 28.
The case against Gandapur and other PTI leaders, including Faisal Javed, Khurram, and Waqas, includes terrorism charges.
The ruling against Gandapur comes just days before PTI’s planned rally in Islamabad on November 24, which the federal government has banned. Gandapur is expected to lead the PTI supporters at the event.