The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has granted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur protective bail, preventing his arrest until March 5, 2025. This ruling was made after the court heard Gandapur’s request for protective bail in the absence of his personal appearance.
A bench consisting of Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Salahuddin emphasized the need for the petitioner’s presence for the legal procedure to move forward. Despite Gandapur’s absence, the court accepted his request for an exemption and extended the bail until the specified date.
The court also instructed authorities to provide a comprehensive list of all legal cases filed against Gandapur. This includes a high-profile case filed last year by Lahore police, who charged the chief minister with 13 offenses, including violations under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). The charges stemmed from an incident at the Sialkot Interchange, where Gandapur’s convoy was involved in a violent altercation while en route to a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally in Lahore.
The rally, which had been declared a failure by the government, was disrupted when police intervened, shutting down the stage’s equipment after the event surpassed the 6 pm deadline set in the no-objection certificate (NOC). Gandapur, arriving late with his convoy, briefly addressed the gathering before videos surfaced showing him smashing a truck window with a rifle.
An FIR was lodged against Gandapur at the Manawa Police Station, accusing him of attempted murder, leading an armed mob, and attempting to set vehicles on fire at the toll plaza under his direction.
