ISLAMABAD: A judicial magistrate on Tuesday extended the physical remand of PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur in a case registered against him for allegedly threatening government officials. Civil judge/judicial magistrate Ihtisham Alam Khan handed over the custody of Mr Gandapur to the Golra police till Wednesday and directed the police to produce him on April 13.

Earlier, the police produced him in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) where Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan asked if he was subjected to torture during the custody.

The court was told that the police had removed terrorism charges in the First Information Report (FIR) against him.

His counsel argued before the court that the police had invoked a section of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) against Mr Gandapur and after the lapse of two days’ remand the offences had been deleted from the FIR.

According to him, the act of the police was deliberate as they were applying delaying tactics.

During the course of hearing, Mr Gandapur approached the rostrum and pointed out that PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz had also criticised the judiciary. The judge refrained him from giving political statement and advised the prosecution to produce him in the appropriate forum.

Mr Gandapur was was accompanied by PTI leaders Asad Qaiser, Pervaiz Khattak, Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khursheed, ex-prime minister AJK Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi and others.

Mr Gandapur’s counsel argued before the court that the complainant had stated in the FIR that he heard threatening statements of the accused on a television channel about six months ago.

He opposed the police request for the extended physical remand for conducting a voice match test and said his physical presence in the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory was not mandatory for it.

The investigation officer contended that due to shortage of time he could only get DVD of the footage aired on a television channel.

He sought extension in the remand to conduct the voice match test in an appropriate manner.

The judge noted that the superior courts had held that allegations made against an accused must be investigated in a thorough and proper manner.

He granted the physical remand of Mr Gandapur for two days and ordered his physical examination.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2023