PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation has requested an anti-terrorism court to conduct forensic examination of available videos and facial recognition of the accused through the National Database and Registration Authority during the ongoing trial into the ransacking and torching of the building of Radio Pakistan in Peshawar in 2023 following the arrest of the then prime minister, Imran Khan.

The PBC’s station director submitted an application to the ATC, saying the videos may be examined through the Punjab Forensic Science Agency Lahore for its genuineness, the presence and participation of individuals and facial recognition by Nadra for identification of the accused in the crime crowd.

The ATC is conducting the trial, with 75 accused, including some present and former lawmakers, being indicted on June 3, 2025,on multiple counts. The accused had pleaded not guilty.

The application was filed through senior counsel Shabbir Hussain Gigyani, contending that certain viral videos of the incident were on record wherein certain known personalities actively participating in the subject crime as well as abettors, conspirators and instigators were very much visible along with numerous unidentified persons.

The applicant said that for arrival at the right conclusion and securing the ends of justice as well as to avoid any subsequent objection of the defence counsel on the genuineness or otherwise of the crime videos, it was necessary to conduct examination of the videos through PFSA Lahore and Nadra for its forensic examination as well as facial recognition of the actual culprits.

Meanwhile, the defence counsel has submitted an application raising objection over appointment of the private counsel by PBC.

It claimed that the appointment was made in violation of an earlier judgement of the Supreme Court which declared that a government entity should be represented by the attorney general or the advocate general office, as the case might be.

The court will hear both applications on Dec 11.

The FIR of the incident was registered at East Cantonment police station on May 10, 2023, on the complaint of the then SHO, Arbab Naeem Haider, under different provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act.

The complainant has said that after breaking the main gate of the Radio Pakistan building the protesters had torched the building as well as the vehicles parked there and had thus spread fear, terror and insecurity in the society.

He added that the police had “tactfully” arrested 20 of the suspects from the mob, while the rest of 200-300 miscreants managed to escape. Several other suspects were held afterward.

The accused facing trial include provincial minister Meena Khan Afridi, MPAs Fazal Ilahi Khan and Arbab Waseem, who left PTI and joined PTI-Parliamentarian, and former MPAs Arbab Jehandad, Fida Gul and Wajid Khan.

The PBC, in its application, contended that in order to punish the “real and actual” culprits and acquit the innocent ones, investigation, collection of evidence and its forensic examination by the relevant quarters were needed.

It referred to several judgements of the superior courts and insisted that the trial had commenced but even reinvestigation and inquiries could be conducted for arrival at the right conclusion.

The PBC added that supplementary challan could later be submitted with provisions of copy to the defence for preparation of its case.

It said that the Nadra, being in possession of pictures of all the citizens, would be in a better position to identify and recognise the crowd participating in the crime through facial recognition system.

The PBC also referred to the Peshawar High Court orders for forensic examination of a crime video during the trial of a case.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2025