PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday sought a reply from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to a contempt petition seeking his punishment for allegedly violating an earlier court judgement barring the use of government resources for any march, protest or political activity.
A bench comprising Chief Justice SM Attique Shah and Justice Ijaz Khan issued a notice to the chief minister after a preliminary hearing of a petition filed by PML-N MPA Zahir Khan.
The petitioner requested the court to punish CM Sohail Afridi in accordance with law for the alleged “wilful disobedience and contempt” of the court’s judgement and order dated October 23, 2025. The petitioner prayed that the court initiate contempt proceedings against the chief minister, summon him in person and direct him to explain, on affidavit, the circumstances, purpose, authorisation and source of payment relating to his use of the official helicopter to travel to and lead the protest march.
He also requested the court to direct the chief minister to produce the relevant official flight authorisation, logbook and expenditure record before the court.
The next date of hearing will be fixed later. Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is the sole respondent in the petition.
Appearing for the petitioner, Barrister M. Yaseen Raza Khan stated that a writ petition had been filed before the court in 2024 against the use of official government vehicles, machinery, personnel and other public resources for political protests, rallies and protest marches.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, through its chief executive/chief minister, had been arrayed as Respondent No. 1 in the said petition.
He said the petition was finally decided by the court through a judgement dated October 23, 2025, whereby several directives were issued to the respondents and all concerned authorities.
“Accordingly, we dispose of the writ petition; however, the respondents and all concerned authorities are directed to ensure, with utmost diligence, that no official vehicle, machinery, or manpower under their control is deployed, used, or permitted to be used for any protest, march, rally, or political activity of any nature,” Barrister Yaseen quoted the judgement as stating.
He argued that the direction of the court was clear, unequivocal and binding upon the provincial government, the respondent and all authorities and functionaries working under their control.
He said that, notwithstanding the clear and binding direction of the court, the chief minister, on October 4, 2026, personally availed himself of and used an official helicopter of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to travel from Peshawar to Lakki Marwat to participate in, launch and lead a political protest march organised by his political party, PTI.
“The official helicopter was thus placed at the personal disposal of the respondent for facilitating his participation in an expressly political activity prohibited by the judgement and order of this Honourable Court,” the counsel pointed out.
He contended that the alleged violation was not confined merely to the transportation of the chief minister, as the use of the official helicopter necessarily involved the deployment of its pilots, crew, fuel, technical staff, ground arrangements, security personnel, protocol officials and other public resources.
He added that the entire official machinery accompanying and facilitating the flight was therefore employed to enable the chief minister to reach and lead the political march, in direct and manifest violation of the court’s judgement.
He argued that the alleged wilful and deliberate disobedience of the binding judgement and order of the court by the chief minister warranted the initiation of contempt proceedings and appropriate action against him in accordance with law.
Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2026
