Daily Times

A local court in Islamabad approved on Sunday one-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Amin Gandapur in a terrorism and sedition case, and directed police to present him in an anti-terrorism court (ATC) tomorrow.

Gandapur was initially arrested by Dera Ismail Khan police on Thursday after multiple cases were registered against him by the Islamabad and Punjab Police. He was then handed over to the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police on Saturday in the case registered against him at the Golra Police Station in the federal capital.

Today, the Islamabad police presented Gandapur before duty magistrate’s Naveed Khan’s court.

At the outset of the hearing, the prosecutor informed the court that Gandapur had to undergo a test and the police had to collect evidence.

Reading out the details of FIR against the PTI leader, the prosecutor said that Gandapur mentioned the plan to attack Islamabad in the audio linked to the case. He said that the former lawmaker threatened to gather weapons to fight against the police. “This was a part of the attack on the judicial complex,” the prosecutor said adding that all the offences included in the FIR were of serious nature and were non-bailable. He argued that a suspect could be sent on remand for 90 days.

At this, the magistrate inquired that the prosecution had demanded a 15-day remand. The prosecutor stated that it was the minimum duration that they had requested. At this point, Gandapur’s lawyer Babar Awan started his arguments. He said that the date and time mentioned in the FIR were of immense importance, while it didn’t mention the police or the individual responsible. “The complaint stated that [the complainant] was sitting in his house when the audios of Ali Amin were aired,” Awan stated. He contended that it wasn’t the first time as the audios of Maryam Nawaz and former chief justice had also surfaced. Babar maintained that the cop who felt “threatened” after Gandapur’s speech didn’t even file the case. He also stated that the PTI leader wasn’t supposed to be presented in this court as it was a terror case.

The counsel then requested the court to discharge Gandapur from the case. “I am ready to listen to his [Gandapur’s] speech, but first police should answer my question. Was there a TV switched on at Golra Police Station where the case was registered,” he asked.

Awan also asked about the progress of investigations as Gandapur was under police custody for 24 hours. The lawyer moved the court to send the PTI leader on remand for only 24 hours so that he could be presented in an ATC.

At this, the court approved only a day’s physical remand of Gandapur and directed the police to present him in an ATC tomorrow (Monday).