Peshawar, Nov 11: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Peshawar on Wednesday reissued arrest warrants for suspended Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in the 2023 Radio Pakistan attack case and extended the interim pre-arrest bail of three former provincial ministers until November 17.
The court proceedings come a month after Pakistan’s federal government imposed emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ending the 13-year rule of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the province.
The federal government cited a deteriorating security situation and accused the provincial administration of failing to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf rejected the move, which followed escalating tensions between the provincial and federal governments.
ATC Judge Wali Muhammad heard the case on Wednesday, during which former provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Kamran Bangash and Irfan Saleem appeared before the court along with their lawyers.
The court extended their interim bail and reissued the arrest warrants for Afridi, who did not appear before it.
The lawyers representing the accused sought more time to prepare their case, following which the court adjourned the hearing until November 17.
The case relates to the attack, vandalism and arson at the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar during violent protests on May 9 and 10, 2023, following the arrest of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan.
Protesters stormed the historic broadcasting station, damaged equipment and set the building and vehicles on fire, causing extensive losses, including the destruction of archival recordings of Pashto and Hindko music, dramas and speeches.
The case was registered on the complaint of Radio Pakistan, with more than 80 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders and workers initially nominated in connection with the incident.
During subsequent investigations, Afridi, former provincial ministers Jhagra and Bangash, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Peshawar president Irfan Saleem and party activist Aamir Khan Chamkani were also named as accused in a supplementary charge sheet.
The prosecution has relied on video footage, photographs and forensic reports obtained from the National Database and Registration Authority and the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory to establish the identities of the accused.
The defence has questioned the identification process and the relevance of some video clips. The allegations against the accused remain subject to judicial determination.
In an earlier hearing on October 28, the ATC had issued arrest warrants for all five newly nominated accused, including Afridi, following the submission of the supplementary charge sheet. (PTI)
