Key Findings from the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory
The Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory (PFSL) has officially confirmed the presence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in video footage from the May 9, 2023 protests. The report, prepared at the request of Peshawar police, analyzed 16 videos frame-by-frame.
Details of the Forensic Examination
The laboratory conducted an audio-visual analysis of videos related to the May 9 violence, which erupted following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a corruption case. According to the report, most clips showed no evidence of tampering, though limited additions of people or text were identified in a few instances. The analysis was strictly confined to visual material.
The forensic examination revealed:
- Evidence of clip splicing in two videos linked to KP CM Afridi and PTI leader Irfan Saleem.
- A confirmed match between Chief Minister Afridi’s profile photograph and the individual appearing in the May 9 footage.
- Similar confirmations for PTI leaders Irfan Saleem and Kamran Bangash through profile image matching.
- A clear resemblance found between former provincial minister Taimur Jhagra’s profile image and the individual in the videos.
Context and Legal Proceedings
The report was prepared between December 19 and December 23, 2025. The videos were sent for forensic examination after an anti-terrorism court sought a police report in the Radio Pakistan attack case, one of the incidents during the May 9 protests that saw attacks on military and state installations.
The forensic laboratory emphasized that its analysis remained restricted to visual evidence, with no broader conclusions drawn about the events of that day.
