PESHAWAR: An anti-terrorism court here on Thursday declined the pre-arrest bail pleas of three men suspected of killing senior lawyer and politician Abdul Latif Afridi on the premises of the Peshawar High Court in January.

They all, including advocate Adil Khan, Fawad and Zakir,were later taken into custody by the local police.

The police will produce them before the court today (Friday) with the request to grant their physical remand.

The prime accused, Adnan Samiullah Afridi, was arrested from the high court’s premises soon after he allegedly fired at Mr Lateef Afridi in a bar room on Jan 16.

Initially, the FIR registered by the East Cantonment Police Station had Section 302 (intentional murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code. However, Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act was added to it afterwards.

During initial interrogation, the accused Adnan had admitted to killing Mr Afridi, a former MNA, over a family blood feud. He, however, changed his statement during an appearance before the magistrate.

The three suspects had filed the pre-arrest bail pleas. They were initially granted interim bail but the bail was not confirmed by the court after lawyers for both sides forwarded arguments.

A panel of lawyers including Hussain Ali, Shabbir Hussain Gigyani, Barrister Amirullah Khan and others represented the complainant.

They contended that on the day of occurrence, suspect Adil remained present with the principal accused Adnan and he was visible in different CCTV footage.

The lawyers said Adil was also present in the bar room at the time of occurrence and he had also informed Adnan through a text message that the guard of Mr Afridi had gone to the mosque to offer prayers.

They said suspect Fawad had also remained with the principal accused at different spots.

The counsel said accused Zakir was serving as tehsildar in Bajaur district and that the calls data record belonging to the suspects showed that they were in contact with each other and that after the killing, Adil and Fawad had travelled to Bajaur where they had remained with Zakir for a few days.

They added that the accused did not deserve to be extended the concession of pre-arrest bail as the murder had taken place on the premises of the court and that, too, of Latif Afridi, who was an important public figure and had remained president of the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2023