Islamabad Court Issues Non-Bailable Arrest Warrants for KP Chief Minister

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad court on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in a case involving the alleged defamation of state institutions.

The warrants were issued by a district and sessions court after the chief minister failed to appear despite repeated notices.

The case was registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Authorities accuse Afridi of making misleading allegations and damaging the reputation of state institutions.

Senior Civil Judge Abbas Shah, who conducted the hearing, directed the relevant authorities to arrest and produce the chief minister before the court.

The hearing was adjourned, and February 21 was set as the next date.

This is the second time the court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants against the KP chief minister, as similar orders were issued last month as well.

Read More: Pakistan beat USA by 32 runs in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash

Legal Troubles Deepen

The development adds to Afridi’s growing legal challenges. Earlier this month, reports from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency and NADRA reportedly linked video evidence from the May 9 riots case to him. The court has sought a complete report on February 14.

The May 9, 2023 riots erupted after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court premises in a corruption case. During the protests, several civil and military installations were attacked across the country.

Afridi Says He Will Engage for KP’s Interests

Separately, while addressing a convocation ceremony at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar, CM Afridi said he was willing to speak with anyone for the sake of the province’s interests.

He stressed that he would not allow Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to become a “testing ground” again and clarified that he would not seek personal gains but would hold talks for the province’s benefit.

Afridi also mentioned meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the convening of an Apex Committee session, emphasizing that peace and stability are the province’s top priorities.

He concluded by warning that institutions should avoid interfering in each other’s domains, calling such interference a major reason behind Pakistan’s continued economic instability.