PESHAWAR/SWABI: Police have arrested five persons in connection with the murder of Swat Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) judge and his three family members as they were laid to rest in Peshawar on Monday.

Swat ATC Judge Aftab Afridi was gunned down along with his wife, daughter-in-law and a minor grandson near Swabi Interchange on Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway on Sunday evening by unidentified assailants.

On Monday, the funeral prayers of the slain judge and his family members were offered in Pajjagi Road area of Peshawar that were attended by a large number of people including lawyers.

Swabi DPO Mohammad Shoaib confirmed that five suspects and two vehicles were taken into custody in provincial capital and Khyber tribal district. He said that three of them were arrested in Khyber while two were held in Peshawar.

SCBA chief, son nominated in FIR along with others

He said that police also recovered two vehicles. However, he did not disclose the details, saying they would release the details within next few hours.

Chota Lahor police station has registered FIR of the killing of judge and his family members on the complaint of his son Abdul Majid Afridi.

Mr Afridi told police that his family was going to Islamabad from Peshawar after attending wedding ceremony of a relative. He said that his slain wife was also five-month pregnant.

Mr Afridi has nominated six people including Danish Afridi, son of Supreme Court Bar Association president Abdul Latif Afridi, Mohammad Shafiq, Jamal Afridi, Abid and Jamil in the FIR.

He alleged that the murders were committed at the behest of SCBA president.

Chota Lahor police booked six persons including Mr Latif Afridi under section 302, 324, 148, 149, 427, 353 of Pakistan Penal Code and section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Swabi police officials said that they were trying to trace the car used in the incident and ascertain as to wherefrom the assailants entered the motorway and how they executed their plan.

They said that investigations from different angles were in progress and serious efforts were underway to arrest the murderers.

The people nominated in the FIR include Abdul Latif Afridi, Danish Afridi, Mohammad Shafiq, Jamsl Afridi, Abid and Jamil.

Meanwhile, Swabi Bar Association and Tehsil Chota Lahor Bar Association demanded in their separate meetings that the killers of the judge and his family should be arrested by the law enforcement agencies. They condemned the incident.

The lawyers also staged a protest demonstration and boycotted court proceedings.

Daniyal Khan, president of the bar, said that they would continue their protest because the government failed to provide security to the deceased judge and his family.

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser also condemned the incident and termed it a cowardice act. He said that exemplary punishment would be awarded to the people involved in the incident.

In a press statement issued here on Monday, he said that all resources would be utilised to provide justice to the bereaved family.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2021