An Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad has declared Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and four Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members of the provincial assembly as proclaimed offenders after their repeated failure to appear in court proceedings linked to the November 26 protest.
According to court proceedings reported on Wednesday, the ATC also declared provincial minister Meena Khan Afridi, Shafiullah Jan, Iqbal Afridi, and Amjad Ali as proclaimed offenders. The decision followed multiple ignored court summons by all the accused.
Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Abu Al-Hasanat Muhammad Zulqarnain conducted the hearing. Acting on the court’s directives, proclamation notices were published in national newspapers, formally declaring the accused as absconders.
Read: KP CM Sohail Afridi Ends Protest After Being Denied Imran Khan Meeting
Under the proclamation order, the accused have been instructed to appear before the court within 30 days. Failure to comply will result in further legal action, the court warned.
The Counter Terrorism Department, Islamabad, moved the court to initiate proclamation proceedings, stating that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has been named in terrorism-related cases and has consistently failed to appear before the court.
The CTD informed the ATC that non-bailable arrest warrants issued against Sohail Afridi, Meena Khan Afridi, Dr Amjad, and others have remained unexecuted despite repeated efforts. The department requested the court to issue proclamations under Section 87 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Taking note of the situation, the court directed authorities to paste proclamation notices on the doors of the residences of Sohail Afridi, Meena Khan Afridi, and Dr Amjad. CTD officials further told the court that two terrorism cases are currently registered against the KP chief minister in Islamabad.
