PHC seeks replies in 10 days on pleas for recovery of Sohail Afridi, other PTI leaders

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has sought responses from the parties concerned within 10 days on petitions seeking the recovery of ousted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders.

Afridi and some members of his cabinet were taken into “preventive custody” following the imposition of emergency rule in KP on October 11, State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry confirmed to Reuters a day later.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Farah Jamshed heard the petitions on Tuesday. During the hearing, the petitioners’ counsel argued that Afridi and Swati had been missing for around 10 days. He maintained that the assembly speaker enjoyed constitutional immunity and could not be arrested in the manner alleged at the Speaker House.

The lawyer further told the court that PTI leader Junaid Akbar and 11 other people had also allegedly been taken away from the Speaker House. He said the federal government had repeatedly acknowledged that the individuals were in its custody.

Responding to the arguments, Justice Arshad Ali told the counsel that the court would seek comments from the relevant parties and urged him not to rush the proceedings.

The court subsequently issued notices to the parties and directed them to submit their responses within 10 days.

Following the reported detentions, the families of Afridi and provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati approached the Peshawar High Court, alleging that both leaders had been taken away by armed, masked men. Separate petitions filed on October 13 sought their immediate recovery and production before the court to establish the whereabouts of the two leaders and determine the legality of their detention.

Afridi’s brother, Muhammad Amir, alleged that his brother was taken from the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar at around 2pm on October 11 in the presence of police officers, including the capital city police officer. His petition sought details from the police about the incident, preservation of CCTV footage and other relevant records, and an impartial investigation.

The separate petition concerning Swati also sought his recovery, an inquiry into the alleged abduction and legal action against those found responsible. The allegations have yet to be established in court.