PHC restrains police from arresting Gandapur

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday restrained the police from arresting Chief Minister-designate Ali Amin Gandapur in any case.

A two-member PHC bench comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Waqar Ahmad heard the writ petition of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader.

Syed Sikandar Hayat Shah Advocate, Shah Faisal Uthmankhel and other lawyers appeared on behalf of the petitioner.

Ali Amin Gandapur had filed the petition to seek the details of the cases registered against him. Besides restraining the police from arresting Gandapur, the bench issued a notice to the federal government to submit its reply.

His lawyers told the court that the PTI had nominated Ali Amin Gandapur as its candidate for the office of the chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They said it was feared the PTI leader could be arrested in connection with the cases registered against him.

The lawyers said that the cases against Ali Amin Gandapur were registered outside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that the cops from the Punjab Police were roaming in the province and they could make the arrest.

Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim said that the Punjab Police could not make the arrest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as there was a procedure laid down in the law. The court restrained the police from arresting Ali Amin Gandapur and directed the federal government and the relevant officials to submit a reply. The court adjourned the hearing till March 19.