The Peshawar High Court on Friday maintained its earlier order restraining the arrest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and 27 other leaders of former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
The high court transferred their pre-arrest bail petitions to a division bench for further proceedings and fixed October 20 as the date for the next hearing.
Afridi and the other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders have sought protection from arrest in multiple cases registered in connection with the May 9, 2023, incidents, when protests following Khan’s arrest turned violent in several parts of the country.
A three-member larger bench had earlier been constituted to hear the petitions and directed the petitioners to appear in person.
The court transferred the petitions to a division bench while maintaining its earlier order against the arrest of the 28 leaders.
The interim protection against arrest will remain in force until further proceedings, with the court yet to decide on the bail petitions.
