CHITRAL: An FIR was registered against the deputy speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Suriya Bibi, for allegedly refusing to return an official vehicle following the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province.

The case was registered at the Booni police station under Section 406 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Upper Chitral deputy commissioner Arshad Khan.

In his application, the official asked the police to register the FIR, maintaining that the vehicle was the property of the Upper Chitral district administration and it was currently in the possession of the deputy speaker.

Commenting on the legal implications, a senior lawyer practising criminal law noted that Section 406 was a non-bailable offence.

Under this section, the arrest and imprisonment of the accused were mandatory before bail can be pursued, he added.

Repeated attempts to contact the district police officer, Mastuj sub-divisional police officer and Booni station house officer by telephone to ascertain whether any arrest had been made proved unsuccessful, as none of them could be reached for comment.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2026