PESHAWAR – The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday extended the protective bail of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi until November 27, providing him temporary relief as multiple legal cases continue to surface against him across various jurisdictions. The court also directed authorities to furnish complete details of all cases registered against the Chief Minister before the next hearing.
A division bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Waqar Ahmad issued the orders after the scheduled hearing was disrupted due to a province-wide strike by legal fraternity members. Despite the disruption, Afridi’s legal counsel urged the court to direct the concerned authorities to immediately supply all case files, arguing that the Chief Minister could not properly defend himself without knowing the nature and grounds of each case.
Reports indicate that several FIRs have been filed against Afridi in Islamabad and other locations following recent political developments. His legal team maintained that the protective bail was necessary to prevent politically motivated arrests while the court examines the validity and procedural transparency of the charges brought against him.
The bench also instructed the federal and provincial authorities not to arrest the Chief Minister in any case until the next hearing, safeguarding the political and administrative functioning of the provincial office in the meantime.
The matter is expected to gain momentum at the next hearing, where the court may closely review the motives, documentation, and legal standing of the cases filed, as well as the necessity of further bail extensions.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.