ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad district and sessions court on Wednesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi over his repeated failure to appear before the court in a case involving alleged misleading statements against state institutions.

Senior Civil Judge Abbas Shah issued the warrant after the KP chief minister did not attend the hearing despite being summoned. Taking notice of his continuous non-appearance, the court directed law enforcement authorities to arrest Afridi and produce him before the court.

The court also adjourned further proceedings in the case until February 10.

The case was registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). According to the prosecution, the KP chief minister is accused of making statements on digital platforms that allegedly harmed the reputation of state institutions.

Earlier, the court had issued multiple notices to Afridi, directing him to appear and present his defence. However, his persistent absence prompted the court to adopt stricter legal measures by issuing a non-bailable arrest warrant.