Pak anti-terrorism court warns Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa CM of being declared 'absconder' if he fails to appear before it

Islamabad, Jul 1 (PTI) An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Monday warned Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and others of being declared "absconders" if they failed to appear before the court on the next hearing on July 8.

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Supra issued the warning during the hearing of two cases filed against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and other party leaders regarding alleged vandalism and violation of Section 144 of the CrPC at Islamabad's Sangjani and I-9 police stations.

During the hearing, PTI leaders Faisal Javed Khan, Ali Nawaz Awan, Wasiq Qayyum, Aamer Kiani and other suspects appeared before the court whereas exemption pleas were filed by KPK chief minister Gandapur and PTI leader Amir Mughal.

Reacting to the request for exemption from appearance, Judge Supra said that it was not a valid reason to argue that one can't appear before the court because he's out of the city.

"Who's responsible for the failure to appear, the suspects or the court?" the judge questioned, adding that no request for exemption of appearance from anyone will be entertained.

The lawyers acknowledged that the onus for failure to appear before the court falls on the suspects and requested the court one more chance, reassuring that all the suspects would appear before the court in the next hearing.

Judge Supra said that the suspects who fail to appear before the court on July 8 will be declared "absconders", stressing that it is not necessary to wait for 30 days to declare a fugitive of the court an absconder.

The court also sought a written reply from the Superintendent of the Adiala jail regarding the appearance of the PTI founder via video link.

The court then adjourned both cases till July 8 and announced that the cases would be heard on a daily basis from the next hearing. PTI AYZ ZH AKJ ZH ZH