Police Seek to Nominate K-P CM Sohail Afridi in May 9 Radio Pakistan Attack Case

Summary:

Police told an anti-terrorism court in Peshawar that they intend to nominate Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and several PTI leaders in the May 9 attack on Radio Pakistan, but alleged the prosecution is delaying the submission of a supplementary challan.

Key Points:

• Police want to name K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in the May 9 Radio Pakistan attack case.
• A supplementary challan includes several PTI leaders and workers.
• The police say the prosecution is delaying submission of the challan.
• The court has issued notices and sought a report by March 17.
• The case relates to the attack on Radio Pakistan in Peshawar during May 9 protests.

Detailed Article:

Police informed an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Peshawar that they intend to nominate Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi as an accused in the May 9, 2023 attack on the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar.

During a hearing on Wednesday, counsel for Radio Pakistan Shabbir Hussain Gigyani, Special Prosecutor Naumanul Haq Kakakhel and Investigation Officer Inspector Khushhal Khan appeared before the court.

The lawyer representing Radio Pakistan told the court that the investigation officer planned to submit a supplementary challan naming several political figures in the case.

According to the lawyer, the list includes Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, former provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Bangash, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Peshawar president Irfan Saleem and party worker Amir Chamkani.

He said the additional names were identified through reports from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

However, the lawyer claimed that the prosecution had refused to receive the challan for submission to the court, creating obstacles in the legal process.

As a result, an application was filed in the ATC requesting contempt of court proceedings against the district public prosecutor and the Counter Terrorism Department’s senior prosecutor for failing to place the challan on record.

The petition argued that despite forensic and identification evidence linking the accused to the case, the prosecution had not submitted the challan before the court.

According to the application, the police had already forwarded the investigation file to the district public prosecutor, but it remained pending and had not been presented to the court.

The court directed the investigation officer to submit the supplementary challan through the proper legal channel.

The ATC also issued notices to the prosecution regarding the contempt petition and ordered a report to be submitted by March 17.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, the counsel for Radio Pakistan said that provincial ministers and lawmakers had been nominated in the case following forensic investigations and identification reports.

He urged the prosecution to carry out its responsibilities and ensure that the case proceeds in accordance with the law.