Peshawar High Court Gives PTI Lawyers Final Chance to Argue Bail Pleas of Sohail Afridi and Others
The Peshawar High Court has given lawyers representing 27 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders a final opportunity to present arguments in petitions seeking details of registered cases and protective bail, including those involving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
A three-member bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar, Justice Mohammad Naeem Anwar and Justice Mohammad Ijaz Khan fixed October 20 for the next hearing and directed the lawyers to come fully prepared.
The bench made it clear that no further adjournments would be granted and that the cases would be decided.
The petitions involve several prominent PTI figures, including former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, lawmakers Asad Qaiser, Shandana Gulzar, Sheikh Waqas Akram and Faisal Amin Gandapur, as well as senators, provincial ministers and other party leaders.
Dispute Over Protective Bail Orders
The case concerns requests by PTI leaders for information about cases registered against them and protection from arrest while they approach the relevant courts.
In December 2025, a high court bench accepted a request from Islamabad’s chief commissioner to form a larger bench to examine legal questions surrounding broad protective orders and transit bail.
The chief commissioner had raised concerns that some petitioners obtained protective bail but did not subsequently appear before the appropriate courts or surrender to the relevant authorities. He argued that this had allowed some individuals to remain protected from arrest for extended periods without joining investigations in other provinces.
The larger bench held an initial hearing on December 26, 2025. The cases were then listed again after a gap of more than nine months.
Lawyers Raise Concerns About Arrests and Missing Case Details
During Friday’s proceedings, lawyers told the court that new legal representation had been arranged for several petitioners after advocate Alam Khan Adenzai became an additional advocate general. The newly appointed lawyers said they would submit the required authorisation documents.
Advocate Mohammad Inam Yousafzai also raised concerns about the alleged detention of provincial minister Dr Amjad Ali, claiming that unidentified armed men had taken him from his residence the previous night. He further alleged that PTI lawmaker Abdul Salam had been abducted a day earlier.
Ali Zaman, provincial president of the Insaf Lawyers Forum, also expressed concern over what he described as the targeting of party members by unidentified individuals.
Justice Ijaz Anwar questioned the situation, remarking that PTI members were reportedly being abducted despite the party being in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Meanwhile, advocates Bashir Khan Wazir and Asif Babar told the bench that the petitioners had approached Islamabad’s chief commissioner in accordance with earlier court directions. However, they maintained that complete information about the cases registered against them had not been provided.
Court Declines Direct Orders to Islamabad Authorities
The petitioners’ lawyers asked the bench to prevent the arrest or harassment of their clients until their appearance before the court and to continue the interim relief previously granted.
The bench observed that it could not issue direct orders to authorities in Islamabad.
Yousafzai argued that the high court had previously determined that the petitions could be heard by a regular division bench. The lawyers also maintained that applications had been submitted within the three-day period specified in earlier court directions and requested continuation of interim relief for those who had complied.
Additional Attorney General Sanaullah informed the bench that a report on the matter had been submitted.
The court has now scheduled the next hearing for October 20, giving the petitioners’ lawyers a final opportunity to complete their arguments before the cases are decided.
