Police review forensic findings as decision looms on Sohail Afridi’s appointment in Radio Pakistan attack case
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. SCREENSHOT
The Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory (PFSL) has completed a verification report of video footage related to the May 9 incidents in Peshawar, confirming the presence of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in the recorded material, along with Kamran Bangash, Taimur Jhagra and Irfan Saleem.
According to the forensic report, PFSL carried out a detailed audio-visual analysis of the videos provided by the Peshawar police following a request from the authorities. The report is based on 16 video clips contained in a USB drive submitted by the Sharqi police station in Peshawar.
The laboratory performed a frame-by-frame analysis of the images. While several videos showed no signs of tampering, some clips indicated insertions of people and text, and in two videos featuring CM Afridi and Irfan Saleem, evidence of clip splicing was detected.
Read: CM Afridi convoy delayed en route to Bagh-e-Jinnah as PTI cries foul over ‘blocked’ roads
The report said that the profile photographs of Sohail Afridi, Irfan Saleem, Kamran Bangash and Taimur Jhagra matched people appearing in the videos. In all four cases, the individuals featured in the images were confirmed to be the same as in their respective profile images.
The forensic examination was carried out between December 19 and 23, 2025 and the analysis was limited strictly to visual content, the report added.
The anti-terrorism court had earlier ordered the police to obtain the forensic report relating to the Radio Pakistan attack case.
Meanwhile, the Peshawar police have started consultations on naming CM Afridi as an accused after the findings of the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory. The investigation team members said that the investigating officer and SSP Investigation informed the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa IG and legal assistance was sought from the police legal department.
Investigators confirmed that a detailed review of the PFSL report was underway and police were now required to submit a further complaint in this case.
The FIR relating to the Radio Pakistan attack was registered at the Sharqi police station, and the USB drive containing images of the chief minister’s alleged presence was sent to the PFSL for verification.
The forensic report was received by the police three days ago and has been formally submitted to the court.
