Arrest warrants issued for Sohail Afridi, four PTI leaders

An anti-terrorism court in Peshawar has issued arrest warrants for suspended Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and four other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders in a case concerning the May 9, 2023 attack on the Radio Pakistan building. The other accused named in the warrants are former provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Khan Bangash, PTI Peshawar President Irfan Saleem and party activist Amir Khan Chamkani.

The case stems from the violence that followed the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in May 2023. Protesters allegedly entered Radio Pakistan’s historic Peshawar station after breaking through its main gate, set parts of the premises and vehicles on fire, and damaged broadcasting equipment. The blaze also destroyed valuable archives containing decades of Pashto and Hindko music, dramas, speeches and other recordings.

During Wednesday’s hearing, the district public prosecutor submitted a challan identifying Afridi and the four other PTI figures as accused. ATC Judge Wali Muhammad Khan observed that the submission of the challan and formal nomination of the suspects provided grounds for issuing warrants under the applicable legal procedure.

Legal counsel representing Radio Pakistan told the court that video recordings of the attack were available. He requested verification of the people appearing in the footage through the National Database and Registration Authority and the Punjab Forensic Science Agency. The court subsequently obtained forensic reports from the relevant institutions to assist with identification through videos and photographs.

The prosecution maintained that forensic examination of footage from the crime scene indicated the presence of the nominated individuals. Radio Pakistan’s counsel also expressed concern that the police investigation had been completed but the challan remained pending for nearly six months. More than 80 people were originally nominated in cases connected with the violence, while the latest challan specifically included the five PTI leaders.

The defence sought additional time during the proceedings and requested an adjournment. After hearing the submissions, the court issued warrants for all five accused and postponed further proceedings until November 4. The warrants represent a procedural step in the case and do not constitute a determination of guilt.

Questions over the reliability and interpretation of the digital evidence may become significant as the case proceeds. A forensic examination conducted earlier reportedly found the accused appearing in several video clips, but also noted signs of editing or splicing in some footage. The court will therefore have to assess the evidentiary value of individual recordings alongside other material presented by the prosecution and defence.

The proceedings carry added political significance because Afridi and the other accused are prominent figures in PTI’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa organisation. The case also remains tied to the wider legal aftermath of the May 9 unrest, during which public and military properties were attacked in several cities and numerous PTI leaders and workers were booked under criminal and anti-terrorism provisions.