A Peshawar Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has reissued arrest warrants for dysfunctional Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi and PTI suspect Amir Chamkani in connection with the May 9, 2023 attack on Radio Pakistan’s building in Peshawar.
According to reports, ATC Judge Wali Muhammad Khan issued the warrants after both accused failed to appear before the court during the latest hearing.
The supplementary challan submitted in the case names five additional political figures. They include Sohail Afridi, former provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Bangash, PTI Peshawar president Irfan Saleem and party worker Amir Chamkani.
Kamran Bangash, Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Irfan Saleem have secured interim pre-arrest bail, with their bail extended until November 17. However, the court reissued arrest warrants for Afridi and Chamkani over their continued absence.
The case relates to the violent protests that erupted across Pakistan following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan on May 9, 2023. During the protests, Radio Pakistan’s historic building in Peshawar was attacked, vandalised and set on fire.
Police subsequently registered terrorism-related cases against several individuals over the incident. Around 80 people were initially nominated in the Radio Pakistan attack case, while additional names were included following further investigations.
According to the prosecution, forensic analysis of videos and photographs, conducted with assistance from NADRA Islamabad and the Punjab Forensic Science Agency, provided evidence that led to the nomination of five additional political figures in a supplementary challan.
The court had previously issued arrest warrants for all five individuals on October 28 following the submission of the supplementary challan. Three subsequently obtained interim bail, while the matter concerning Afridi and Chamkani remained unresolved.
During an earlier hearing, Afridi’s lawyer claimed that his client had been taken into custody following the alleged imposition of governor’s rule and an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11. The lawyer also claimed that information about Afridi’s whereabouts was not being provided. Similar claims were made regarding Amir Chamkani’s detention.
The latest reissuance of arrest warrants increases the legal pressure on Afridi and Chamkani, as the court awaits their appearance in connection with the May 9 Radio Pakistan attack case.
If the accused continue to remain absent despite the completion of required legal procedures, the court may consider further proceedings under the relevant provisions of law, including steps towards declaring them proclaimed offenders.
