Islamabad Court Issues Non-Bailable Warrant Against KP CM Sohail Afridi in Cybercrime Case

An Islamabad district and sessions court has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi following his repeated absence from court hearings in a cybercrime case.

Details of the Court Order

Senior Civil Judge Abbas Shah ordered law enforcement agencies to arrest Afridi and produce him before the court after the chief minister failed to appear despite multiple summons. The court has adjourned further proceedings until February 10.

Charges Against CM Afridi

• The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) filed a case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), accusing Afridi of making statements that allegedly harmed the reputation of state institutions.
• He is also facing an anti-terrorism court case connected to a protest held in Islamabad on November 26.
• Additionally, Afridi is involved in a case before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for an alleged violation of the code of conduct during a recent National Assembly by-election in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Recent Legal Developments

Recently, the Peshawar High Court stayed the ECP from taking any action or issuing a final order against Afridi concerning allegations of threats to government officials during the Haripur by-election. Afridi's counsel argued that the speech in question was delivered outside the relevant constituency during a province-wide tour announcing development projects.

The court has requested the ECP's decision records and temporarily adjourned the hearing for further review.