ISLAMABAD: The District and Sessions Court in Islamabad has directed the police to arrest and produce Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in a case pertaining to the recovery of illegal arms and liquor.

The order was issued after Gandapur and his legal counsel failed to appear in court for a scheduled hearing yesterday. Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hasan presided over the hearing, expressing dissatisfaction over the non-compliance of court directives. The court was informed that the investigating officer of the case was also absent. “The accused has not appeared, nor has his lawyer,” the judge remarked, expressing his displeasure at the lack of cooperation. He further noted that the SSP Operations had failed to submit a compliance report regarding an earlier-issued non-bailable arrest warrant against Gandapur. The court has now adjourned the hearing until January 21, reiterating the order for law enforcement to execute the arrest warrant and ensure Gandapur’s presence at the next hearing. A case was lodged against the PTI leader after the alleged recovery of five Kalashnikov rifles, a pistol, six magazines, a bullet-proof vest, three teargas shells, and bottles of alcohol in October 2016. Police had claimed that they discovered the contraband during a raid, leading to the filing of charges under the Pakistan Penal Code.  Gandapur, a senior PTI leader and former federal minister, has denied the allegations, terming them politically motivated.