The Peshawar High Court has issued notices to the government, police and other relevant authorities, seeking their responses to petitions filed for the recovery of former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi, provincial assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) provincial president Junaid Akbar.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Farah Jamshed heard the petitions.

During the hearing of the petition seeking Sohail Afridi’s recovery, the petitioner’s lawyer argued that Afridi had been taken into custody following the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

At this point, Justice Syed Arshad Ali asked about Afridi’s whereabouts. The lawyer replied that reports suggested he was being held at the Shahi Guest House. The court directed the relevant authorities to submit their response within two days.

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Meanwhile, during the hearing of the petition seeking the recovery of Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar, the petitioner’s lawyer said that both leaders had been taken into custody following the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He added that their current whereabouts were unknown.

The lawyer informed the court that Babar Saleem Swati holds a constitutional office, yet he had still been taken into custody.

The court issued notices to the government, the Inspector General of Police and other relevant authorities, directing them to submit their responses within ten days.