KOHAT – Police have arrested Amjad Afridi, a former provincial minister and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa spokesperson for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), along with five associates in connection with the murder of Malik Asad, triggering intense political controversy.
Authorities announced the arrests on Thursday, prompting the PPP to denounce the move as a “blatant act of political vengeance” orchestrated by the provincial government.
District Police Officer (DPO) Zahidullah, addressing reporters at the Kohat Police Club, revealed that investigators uncovered a plot to murder Malik Asad, allegedly planned at the residence where police arrested Amjad Afridi. Authorities detained Hussain Afridi, Hashim (alias Shino), Gul Zaib, Naimat, Amir, and Yasir in coordinated raids. Police apprehended Amir in Islamabad, where he reportedly named the other suspects during interrogation.
Investigators accuse Amjad Afridi and his nephew, Hussain Afridi, of sheltering the suspects and aiding their escape. Police recovered weapons from the group, further implicating them in the crime.
A local court remanded Amjad Afridi to police custody for five days and the other suspects for seven days to facilitate further investigation. Authorities have not yet disclosed the motive behind Malik Asad’s killing, stating that the probe remains active.
The police arrest of Amjad Afridi, brother of former federal minister Abbas Afridi and son of Senator Shamim Afridi, has provoked a fierce response from the PPP. Muhammad Humayun Khan, the party’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Secretary General, condemned the arrest as “unjustified” and a “shameful example of political victimization.” Speaking on June 5, Khan criticized the timing of the police arrest of Amjad Afridi, which occurred on the eve of Eid al-Adha, calling it “the worst example of political revenge.” He demanded that authorities immediately release Afridi, asserting that the PPP stands “like a rock” with its workers and leaders.
Khan further claimed that the PPP’s growing popularity has “unnerved” its political rivals, accusing opposing parties of resorting to desperate tactics out of “fear and frustration.” He emphasized that the PPP actively pursues its mission to strengthen Pakistan’s constitution, rule of law, democracy, and institutional integrity, framing the police arrest of Amjad Afridi as a deliberate attempt to derail the party’s efforts.
The police arrest of Amjad Afridi has intensified tensions in Kohat, a city long marked by tribal rivalries and political feuds. DPO Zahidullah defended the arrests, stressing that police acted on “robust evidence” and remain committed to an impartial investigation.
However, the PPP’s allegations of political targeting have cast a shadow over the case, raising questions about the intersection of law enforcement and politics in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As authorities continue their investigation, the police arrest of Amjad Afridi remains a contentious issue, likely to fuel further debate in the region’s volatile political landscape.
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