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Pak anti-terror court issues arrest warrant for ex-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Afridi in 2023 violence case
Pak anti-terror court issues arrest warrant for ex-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Afridi in 2023 violence case
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Peshawar, An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi in connection with the May 2023 attack on the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar.
Afridi belongs to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the political party founded by jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan.
Afridi ceased to hold office after Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari imposed emergency and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11. The federal government cited the worsening security situation and the provincial government's alleged failure to adequately address terrorism as reasons for the move.
On Wednesday, anti-terrorism court judge Wali Muhammad issued the arrest warrants against Afridi and four of his party colleagues during a hearing of the May 2023 case.
The others named in the case are former provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Bangash and party leaders Irfan Saleem and Aamir Khan Chamkani.
The case relates to the attack, vandalism and arson at the Radio Pakistan building during the protests that erupted on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of Khan.
The building was stormed and set on fire during the unrest. Several people were arrested in connection with the case, in which the court is also trying other accused.
On October 13, the investigating officer submitted a supplementary charge sheet naming Afridi and the four other PTI leaders as accused in the case. The charge sheet was forwarded to the District Public Prosecutor.
The court had obtained identity verification reports from the National Database and Registration Authority and the Punjab Forensic Science Agency as part of the investigation.
According to the prosecution, the forensic findings were used to identify the accused in connection with the incident. The court had adjourned proceedings on October 13 until October 28.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
