PHC issues Gandapur’s arrest warrant

Scandalising judiciary

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrant for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker and Minister for Revenue and Estate, Ali Amin Gandapur, after he and his lawyer did not appear in a contempt of court case in which he has been accused of scandalising judiciary.

A single bench of the high court headed by Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel issued the warrant of arrest and fixed November 21 for the next hearing in the case. The minister, who was elected MPA from Dera Ismail Khan, is facing the contempt of court case for scandalising the judiciary at a news conference addressed by him.

When the bench took up the case for hearing, neither the provincial minister nor his lawyer appeared in the court. On the previous hearing in the case, Ali Amin Gandapur had tendered an unconditional apology to the PHC.

However, the court had told the minister that his apology would be considered after the submission of proper replies from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority and others. A private news channel had also submitted audio and video recordings of the news conference addressed by Ali Amin Gandapur in Dera Ismail Khan on April 23 this year.

Latif Afridi had appeared for the minister and argued that his client had not used any contemptuous words for the judiciary. He claimed the minister held the judiciary in high esteem.The lawyer added that his client had tendered an unconditional apology to the court. The bench observed that the accused should submit proper written reply to the notice issued to him.

The PHC registrar had issued the notice to Ali Amin Gandapur on April 25 wherein it was stated that the minister had levelled baseless allegations against the chief justice for interfering in development projects of Dera Ismail Khan. The notice said this was tantamount to scandalising the superior judiciary.

In his reply to the notice, Ali Amin Gandapur denied scandalising the judiciary. He stated that he had mentioned one Shoaib Miankhel, a contractor, of misusing the name of the chief justice for blackmailing government officials.