On November 2, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government announced plans to form an inquiry commission to investigate the May 9, 2023, attack on the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar. The provincial authorities described the incident as a “trap” set for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his party and stated that the inquiry would determine those responsible for the ransacking and arson.
Provincial Minister for Local Government, Elections and Rural Development Meena Khan Afridi announced during a press conference in Peshawar. The minister said, “An inquiry commission will be formed in the first cabinet meeting on the incident, which took place in the building of Radio Pakistan Peshawar.”
The minister said the inquiry would analyse CCTV footage to identify those who entered the premises and investigate why the footage had not yet been released. “Since it is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in our jurisdiction, our first cabinet will form an inquiry commission to probe what happened at the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar,” he said.
The Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar was torched during nationwide protests that erupted following the arrest of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court premises on May 9, 2023. The attack caused extensive damage to the state broadcaster’s infrastructure, destroying broadcasting equipment, historical recordings, and vehicles. One employee suffered burn injuries and was hospitalised.
Meena Khan Afridi said that if the judiciary declined to conduct the inquiry, the government would consider forming a commission comprising senior provincial officers. The minister was accompanied by Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Shafiullah Jan.
Radio Pakistan Peshawar, established in 1935, has played an important role in preserving and promoting Pashto and Urdu cultural heritage. The KP government stated that the proposed inquiry commission would examine all available evidence, including video footage, to identify those responsible for the destruction of the historic building and its archives.
