Radio Pakistan attack case: Arrest warrants issued for Sohail Afridi, three other PTI leaders

PESHAWAR: An anti-terrorism court in Peshawar on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for deposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Kamran Bangash and Irfan Saleem in the May 9, 2023, Radio Pakistan attack case.

ATC Judge Wali Mohammad issued the warrants after the public prosecutor submitted the police challan in the case, which relates to the ransacking and burning of the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar during the unrest that followed the arrest of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.

The four leaders were subsequently named as accused in the case on the basis of forensic findings and identity verification reports, which the prosecution relied on to support their nomination.

The latest development follows the submission of a supplementary challan naming the four leaders and PTI activist Amir Khan Chamkani in the case earlier this month.

Police relied on forensic, identity reports

Police nominated the five PTI figures following an examination of video footage by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) and identity verification by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

According to the forensic findings cited in court proceedings, the facial features of the suspects matched those of individuals appearing in the videos submitted for examination.

The investigation officer, DSP Khushal Khan, had submitted a progress report to the ATC in September, naming Afridi, Jhagra, Bangash, Irfan Saleem and Chamkani as accused.

The court had earlier rejected an investigation report as incomplete and inconclusive, directing the investigating officer to submit a comprehensive report after incorporating the forensic and identity verification findings.

On September 24, police submitted a further report before Judge Wali Mohammad, who directed the investigating officer to complete the legal process for filing the challan.

The supplementary charge sheet was subsequently submitted to the district public prosecutor’s office before being placed on the court record.

Peshawar High Court rejected challenge

The Peshawar High Court on September 28 dismissed a petition filed by the special prosecutor challenging the forensic and NADRA reports used to nominate Afridi and other PTI leaders in the case.

The prosecutor had questioned the procedure used to submit video footage for forensic examination, arguing that the material had been provided on a USB drive. He also contended that the names of the additional accused had not appeared in the initial challan and were added later.

Counsel for Radio Pakistan opposed the petition, arguing that the special prosecutor was not competent to challenge the reports in the manner adopted.

After hearing the arguments, the high court dismissed the petition, allowing the proceedings concerning the additional accused to continue before the ATC.

However, the forensic findings have remained disputed. The defence has questioned whether the videos examined by the PFSA actually depicted the Radio Pakistan attack.

The laboratory’s reported facial matches establish similarities between individuals in the supplied footage and the reference images, but do not independently establish the circumstances in which the footage was recorded.

May 9 Radio Pakistan attack

The case concerns the attack on the historic Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar during protests on May 9 and 10, 2023, following the arrest of  Imran Khan.

The building, which also housed offices of the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), was ransacked and set on fire during the unrest.

The first information report (FIR) was registered at the East Cantonment Police Station on May 10, 2023, on the complaint of the then station house officer, Arbab Naeem Haider, under provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The ATC has been conducting the trial of around 75 accused in the case, including serving and former lawmakers. The accused were indicted on multiple charges in June 2025 and pleaded not guilty.

The latest proceedings concern the additional suspects nominated through the supplementary investigation and the evidence cited by police in support of their inclusion in the case.

‘Arrest warrants for Sohail Afridi will be implemented’

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s Adviser on Information Samar Bilour has said that arrest warrants issued for Sohail Afridi in the May 9 Radio Pakistan attack case will be implemented.

Talking to the media in Peshwar, Bilour said the issuance of arrest warrants would be followed by action, without elaborating on the legal or administrative steps involved.

The adviser also said the nation was united in protecting national security. She condemned what she described as provocative actions by the Afghan Taliban regime at the Angoor Adda bazaar.

Bilour also said no recommendations or political pressure would be accepted during the ongoing operation against encroachments in the province.

She rejected allegations that the anti-encroachment drive was intended to settle scores with anyone, saying the operation was not being carried out for personal or political revenge