PHC Affirms KP Assembly Panel's Probe into Radio Pakistan Incident

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has upheld the formation of a special committee by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly speaker to investigate the ransacking and arson of the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar during a protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in May 2023.

A bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Inamullah Khan delivered the ruling, rejecting a petition filed by the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) that challenged the establishment of the committee. The court stated that legislative bodies have the constitutional authority to conduct inquiries into matters of public concern.

According to the court, "Legislative and executive bodies possess constitutional competence to regulate internal affairs and, where authorised, to conduct inquiries into matters of public concern." The bench further noted that such fact-finding processes are important for accountability, transparency, and democratic oversight, and typically fall within the domain of institutional autonomy.

The ruling clarified that these inquiries are generally protected from judicial interference unless they exceed constitutional boundaries or directly infringe upon judicial authority. The court's decision effectively allows the special committee to proceed with its investigation into the events surrounding the damage to the Radio Pakistan building.

The incident in question involved the ransacking and torching of the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar during a PTI protest in May 2023. The formation of the committee by the provincial assembly speaker was intended to examine the circumstances and responsibilities related to the incident.

With the PHC's decision, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly's special committee is expected to continue its work, focusing on establishing facts and promoting transparency regarding the events that led to the damage of the public broadcasting facility.