The presence of senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, in the May 9 incidents in Peshawar has been confirmed, according to local media reports citing forensic report.
The verification process of videos related to the May 9 violence in Peshawar has been completed. The Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) prepared a detailed report after analysing audio-visual material sent by the Peshawar Police.
The report confirms the presence of Sohail Afridi, Kamran Bangash, Taimur Saleem Jhagra, and Irfan Saleem at the scenes shown in the videos from May 9.
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These findings are based on video footage provided to the Sharqi Police Station in Peshawar.
According to the report, the Punjab Forensic Laboratory conducted a technical analysis of the videos and images at the request of the Peshawar Police.
The forensic team examined both video and still images to verify identities and check for manipulation.
The report states that no evidence of video editing was found in several clips. However, in some videos, the addition of logos and text was detected.
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These additions were described as overlays and did not alter the core visual content of the footage.
The forensic analysis also found evidence of clip joining in two videos involving Sohail Afridi and Irfan Saleem. Despite this, the individuals appearing in the footage were verified through profile picture comparison.
According to the findings, Sohail Afridi’s profile picture matched the individual seen in the May 9 videos. Similarly, Irfan Saleem’s profile picture was confirmed to match the person present in the footage.
The report further stated that Kamran Bangash’s profile picture and the individual visible in the videos were the same. Taimur Saleem Jhagra’s profile image was also found to be consistent with the person appearing in the analysed material.
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The Punjab Forensic Laboratory clarified that its analysis was limited strictly to visual material. No behavioural, contextual, or intent-based assessment was carried out as part of the forensic process.
The report was completed between December 19 and December 23, 2025, and was submitted to the relevant authorities.
The May 9 incidents followed the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan and led to violent protests in several cities across Pakistan, including Peshawar.
