A case was registered against Qadri and some 70 unidentified people at Kohsar police station for attacking police officials at the venue of the protest in Islamabad.
A source privy to the development told PTI that an arrest warrants for Qadri had been issued by a local magistrate.
Authorities were awaiting a go-ahead from Interior Minister Rehman Malik to arrest Qadri, the source said.
"There have been deliberations on the issue and, at the moment, the government is in two minds