PESHAWAR — The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has issued a stay order, temporarily stopping the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker and a 15-member special committee from investigating the May 2023 ransacking of the Radio Pakistan building. The bench, comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Dr. Khurshid Iqbal, issued the directive on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
Latest headlines, just in: 11am editionhttps://t.co/Eaytcg4VUi pic.twitter.com/xJIHCBdJ95
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) January 30, 2026
The Legal Conflict: Assembly vs. Judiciary
The petition was filed by the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), arguing that the legislative body was overstepping its bounds into a matter that is already sub judice.
- The Ongoing Trial: An anti-terrorism court is currently trying 75 accused individuals, including high-profile current and former lawmakers.
- Indictment: The accused were indicted on June 3, 2025. To date, 15 witnesses have already recorded their statements.
- Competency Question: The PHC bench questioned whether the Speaker has the legal authority to form an inquiry committee while a judicial trial is actively in progress, noting that such an inquiry could “prejudice the case of the prosecution.”
Founder PTI incited mobs to attack Parliament, State Television Building and Radio Pakistan on May 9, 2023, apart from mass rioting and vandalism, the darkest day in our history.#ایک_سو_ساٹھ_کا_کھڑاک pic.twitter.com/N0WVVhQWAK
— Mahrukh Tariq (@mahru_19) October 31, 2024
The Controversial Special Committee
The committee was formed via a notification on December 26, 2025, following a motion in the KP Assembly.
| Feature | Details |
| Chairperson | Aftab Alam (Provincial Law Minister) |
| Mandate (ToRs) | To determine the “actual incident,” find causes, and investigate the role of Law Enforcement Agencies and their “excesses.” |
| PBC’s Objection | Three members of the 15-member committee are themselves accused facing trial in the same case. |
Key Accused Facing Trial
Several prominent political figures are among the 75 individuals being tried for the May 9–10 violence:
- Meena Khan Afridi (Provincial Minister)
- Asif Khan (MNA)
- Fazal Ilahi Khan (MPA)
- Arbab Waseem (MPA)
- Arbab Jehandad, Fida Gul, and Wajid Khan (Former MPAs)
Recent Judicial Developments
This stay order is the latest in a series of legal battles surrounding the May 9 incidents:
- Forensic Mandate: In December 2025, the ATC ordered a forensic examination and NADRA facial recognition of viral videos showing several “known personalities” participating in the attack.
- Arrest Warrants: Earlier this month, a Peshawar court issued non-bailable warrants for 19 accused individuals who failed to appear for hearings.
- Military Court Appeals: Separately, the PHC has deferred hearings challenging sentences awarded by military courts to five individuals until February 12, 2026.
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