Lahore (Web Desk): An anti-terrorism court in Lahore issued non-bailable arrest warrants on Tuesday for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, along with three other senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders including Hammad Azhar, Saeed Sindhu, and Shehbaz Ahmed.
The warrants are connected to a case involving violent clashes with law enforcement during a PTI-led protest held in Lahore on October 5.
According to police sources, the individuals failed to join the investigation despite being summoned multiple times. They are wanted in connection with several FIRs related to the unrest during last year's demonstrations.
The protest, which took place under a larger movement spearheaded by PTI founder Imran Khan, was part of a broader campaign launched in late September.
Khan, from jail, had called for a series of demonstrations starting on October 2 in Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, and Mianwali, followed by a major gathering at D-Chowk in Islamabad on October 4 and a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on October 5.
These protests were organized to show support for the judiciary and to oppose a proposed judicial reform package. The situation escalated significantly during the demonstrations in Islamabad and Lahore.
In Lahore, violent confrontations broke out between protesters and police at several key locations, including Awan-e-Adal, Badami Bagh, and Sheranwala Gate.
Despite a strong police deployment, PTI activists resisted dispersal efforts, leading to further escalation. The clashes left dozens injured on both sides as law enforcement resorted to teargas and other crowd-control measures to contain the unrest.
Authorities allege that the named PTI leaders played a role in instigating or leading the confrontations and repeatedly ignored legal notices to appear for investigation.