Khan-led party's provincial chief minister 'identified' in 2023 Pakistan riots video
National database authority report also confirms senior PTI figures Bangash, Jhagra and Peshawar president Irfan Saleem also spotted in video
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.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi gestures at PTI supporters during his visit to Karachi on Jan 9.
Legal pressure mounted on senior leaders of the incarcerated ex-prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan's party, on Wednesday, after the country's national database authority identified its provincial chief minister in video footage of the violent May 2023 riots.
According to a report by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) submitted to an anti-terrorism court in the Radio Pakistan Peshawar case, authorities verified that the individual seen in the footage was Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
The report also identified several other senior PTI figures, including former ministers Kamran Bangash and Taimur Saleem Jhagra, as well as PTI’s Peshawar president Irfan Saleem. The NADRA confirmation follows a prior forensic assessment conducted by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA).
The court, however, returned the report to the investigating officer, instructing that it be resubmitted through proper channels along with the challan (formal charge sheet). “The investigating officer is directed to submit the report through the proper forum on February 14,” the court order stated.
The legal proceedings stem from forensic examinations of 16 videos sent to the PFSA by Peshawar police in December last year. PFSA submitted its report to the court on January 10, confirming the identification of PTI leaders, including Afridi, prompting the court to seek further verification from NADRA.
May 9 unrest
The identification of PTI leaders comes amid scrutiny of the May 9, 2023 unrest, when protests erupted across Pakistan following the arrest of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan. Khan was taken into custody by paramilitary forces at the Islamabad High Court in a graft case, triggering nationwide demonstrations.
Protesters targeted public property and military installations, including the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar, the Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, and the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence.
The state responded with a broad crackdown, detaining thousands of PTI leaders, workers, and supporters, many of whom were charged under anti-terrorism laws. Some have since been convicted, though critics have described parts of the crackdown as politically motivated.
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