Federal constitutional court halts proceedings in radio Pakistan attack case

WEB DESK: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Thursday issued a stay order against the proceedings of an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Peshawar regarding the May 2023 attack on the Radio Pakistan building.

The decision follows a petition expressing grave concerns over the impartiality of the trial, given that several high-ranking provincial officials, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, are among the accused, according to Dawn News.

A two-judge bench, led by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, halted the trial and issued notices to 84 respondents named in the case.

Allegations of executive pressure

The stay was granted after the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) moved the court to transfer the criminal case out of KP to Islamabad or another province.

Represented by counsel Syed Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi, the PBC argued that “political pressure and executive interference” within the province have made a fair trial impossible.

The petition highlighted a series of controversial moves by the provincial administration, including an attempt by the KP cabinet to withdraw from prosecution in cases linked to the unrest of May 2023.

Furthermore, the petitioner pointed out a “shocking” conflict of interest where a special prosecutor who had previously defended the accused was briefly appointed to the case.

The PBC also noted that the provincial assembly had attempted to form a “parallel probe” committee that incredibly included several of the accused individuals as members.

Destruction of heritage and suppressed evidence

The case stems from the violent events of 10 May 2023, when a mob of over 70 individuals allegedly stormed the historic Radio Pakistan Peshawar premises.

According to the petition, the attackers vandalised the building, torched vehicles, and assaulted employees, causing extensive damage to the state broadcaster’s archives and infrastructure.

While charges were framed by the ATC in June 2025, the PBC maintains that the current legal environment in Peshawar is compromised.

The petitioner further alleged that the Prosecutor General’s office has deliberately withheld a supplementary investigation report.

This report reportedly identifies additional suspects based on forensic evidence from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency and Nadra.

By staying the trial, the FCC aims to determine whether the case must be relocated to ensure that the rule of law is upheld without the shadow of provincial political influence.