PESHAWAR: In the light of forensic reports of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra ) and Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) in the case of ransacking and torching of the building of Radio Pakistan in Peshawar in May 2023, the investigation officer has nominated five more persons as accused including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi and two former provincial ministers, according to official sources.

However, the prosecution has so far not submitted the report/challan to relevant anti-terrorism court for nominating the said five persons in the ongoing trial of the occurrence.

While an anti-terrorism court on Wednesday directed the prosecution to submit the report on or before March 17, the next date of hearing, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC)/Radio Pakistan Peshawar also submitted an application to the court, seeking directives for the prosecution to submit its report.

PBC, in its application filed through its station director Tufail Ahmad, requested the court that in case of failure to submit the report, contempt proceedings might be started against the district public prosecutor (DPP), senior public prosecutor (SPP) and investigation officer (IO).

ATC directs prosecution to submit report; PBC requests submission of challan

Judge Wali Mohammad Khan mentioned in his order that IO Khushal Khan had sought adjournment for filing report through proper channel.

It is pertinent to mention here that the court had ordered on Dec 12, 2025, forensic examination of the relevant videos and facial recognition of accused persons through Nadra and PFSA.

The video clips and profile pictures provided for forensic examination included that of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, former provincial ministers Taimoor Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Bangash, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Peshawar district president Irfan Saleem and another activist Amir Khan Chamkani.

In its report, PFSA gave opinion that after forensic analysis, it was concluded that facial features of the said five persons matched with facial features of suspected persons seen in the videos. However, nowhere the report mentioned that the clips were that of Radio Pakistan occurrence.

Similarly, Nadra in its report mentioned CNIC numbers, apparently of the said five persons, claiming those were probable matches to their profile pictures.

PTI leaders had questioned the veracity of video clips and stated that that those clips didn’t belong to Radio Pakistan, Peshawar, occurrence which took place on May 10, 2023, after former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan was arrested.

Following that development, the court had directed IO/prosecution to submit its report in the light of the findings of Nadra and PFSA.

Senior lawyer Shabbir Hussain Gigyani appeared for PBC and submitted the application on its behalf. Respondents in the application are Peshawar DPP Sifatullah, SPP ATC Arif Bilal and IO Khushal Khan.

The petitioner stated that it was an aggrieved party in the said case, trial of which was pending adjudication before ATC.

It claimed that in the instant case, on the strength of credible evidence of PFSA, Lahore, as well as Nadra, Islamabad, certain culprits had been identified and on recording statement of the petitioner/aggrieved party regarding their accusation, they had been nominated by police.

The petitioner stated that the IO after fulfilling codal formalities had submitted the case file to DPP for onward submission of challan against the nominated accused, however, the same had been kept pending there.

Mr Gigyani contended that the act of respondents was in violation of Section 173 of Code of Criminal Procedure read with Section 19 of Anti-Terrorism Act.

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 accused facing trial include Provincial Minister Meena Khan Afridi, MNA Asif Khan, MPAs Fazal Ilahi Khan and Arbab Waseem, who left PTI and joined PTI-Parliamentarian, and former MPAs Arbab Jehandad, Fida Gul and Wajid Khan.

Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Taimur Jhagra, Kamran Bangash, Irfan Saleem and Amir Chamkani have not been charged in the case and their names were not included in the list of accused persons.

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 Pakistan Penal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2026