PECA case registered against KP CM Sohail Afridi over anti-state remarks

ISLAMABAD: A case has been registered against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), ARY News reported on Sunday.

According to sources, the Cyber Crime Reporting Center in Islamabad registered the case at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on behalf of the state.

The FIR states that Sohail Afridi is accused of spreading hatred and misleading information against state institutions through social media. He allegedly shared false and baseless statements in video messages, which were circulated online to damage the reputation of state and national security institutions, the complaint reads.

The FIR further claims that Afridi made false remarks against state institutions outside Adiala Jail, and that the video was also shared through the official Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) social media page.

Authorities said the case has been lodged under relevant sections of the PECA Act for defaming and inciting hatred against state institutions.

Sohail Afridi Calls 27th Amendment a Blow to Provincial Autonomy

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi stated that the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment was a “direct attack on provincial autonomy” and vowed to resist any move that undermines the rights of the provinces.

Speaking to the media at Parliament House, Sohail Afridi said he arrived in Islamabad to attend a parliamentary party meeting, adding that he would raise his voice within Parliament for his right to meet the PTI founder.

“I approached the High Court for permission to meet the PTI founder, but the court’s orders were not implemented,” Afridi said. “I am pursuing the democratic path — meeting my leader is my constitutional right.”

The KP chief minister announced that a resolution would be moved in Parliament over the denial of his meeting request, and confirmed that he is expected to meet the PTI founder tomorrow.

Rejecting the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, Sohail Afridi said, “The 27th Amendment is an encroachment on provincial autonomy. We will not tolerate any attack on the rights of the provinces.”

He reiterated his commitment to democracy, saying, “We will foil every attempt to weaken democratic institutions. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is the guardian of the Constitution and democracy.”

Highlighting financial disparities, Sohail Afridi said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s share in the NFC Award stands at 19.4 percent, and under the 18th Amendment, provincial autonomy must be protected.

“Our province has sacrificed the most for Pakistan — our martyrs laid down their lives for this country. The sacrifices of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must be acknowledged,” the chief minister said.

Concluding his remarks, Afridi reaffirmed, “There will be no compromise on provincial autonomy — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will stand firm to protect its constitutional rights.”

Earlier, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Sohail Afridi had criticized the authorities for denying him permission to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan despite clear court directives.