Non-bailable warrants reissued for CM Afridi in Peca case

A local court in Pakistan has again issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Sohail Afridi, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The repeated warrants stem from his persistent failure to appear before the court for hearings related to a case filed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Abbas Shah ordered authorities to arrest Afridi and present him in court. The judge expressed displeasure over the chief minister's repeated absence, leading to the reissuance of the warrants. The case was initiated by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over accusations that Afridi disseminated content considered misleading and detrimental to state institutions.

The court has adjourned further proceedings until June 18. In a separate but related matter, a vlogger named Sohrab Barkat was handed over to the NCCIA on a four-day physical remand in connection with another case.