Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Khan-led party named in riots case two years later
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Sohail Afridi among other prominent leaders nominated in May 9 case after 'identification' in video footage by NADRA, forensics agency
Kamran Ali
Correspondent Nukta
Kamran Ali, a seasoned journalist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, has a decade of experience covering terrorism, human rights, politics, economy, climate change, culture, and sports. With an MS in Media Studies, he has worked across print, radio, TV, and digital media, producing investigative reports and co-hosting shows that highlight critical issues.
After a lapse of over two years, several leaders of the party led by the now-incarcerated ex-prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, including its provincial chief executive, have been nominated in a case concerning the violent May 9, 2023, riots.
According to a challan submitted by the police to an anti-terrorism court in the Radio Pakistan Peshawar attack case, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was nominated after the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) confirmed his identification and presence in the video footage of the attack.
Other accused include former ministers Kamran Bangash and Taimur Saleem Jhagra, as well as PTI’s Peshawar president Irfan Saleem and Amir Chamkani.
The investigation officer told the court that he intended to submit the challan through the proper legal channel, but the public prosecutor declined to receive the record. Meanwhile, the counsel for Radio Pakistan, Shabir Hussain Gigyani, also filed an additional application against the public prosecutor over the alleged failure to accept the case record.
After hearing the arguments, the court issued a notice to the prosecution, directing it to submit a report by Mar. 17.
In December last year, Peshawar police forwarded 16 videos to the PFSA for forensic analysis. The forensics agency submitted its report to the court on Jan. 10, followed by a report from NADRA on February 4, both confirming the identification and presence of the nominated PTI leaders.
What happened on May 9
The attack on the historic Radio Pakistan Peshawar building was one of the most high-profile incidents during the widespread May 9, 2023, unrest, triggered by Khan’s first arrest by paramilitary forces at the Islamabad High Court over a corruption case.
The arrest sparked nationwide unrest, with PTI supporters staging violent protests that damaged public property and targeted military installations, including the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence.
Authorities responded with a widespread crackdown, detaining thousands of PTI leaders, workers, and supporters. Many were charged under anti-terrorism laws, and dozens have since been convicted in cases that critics allege are politically motivated.
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