PTI leader Baldev Kumar acquitted in Soran Singh murder case

PESHAWAR: The anti-terrorism court in Buner acquitted on Thursday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Baldev Kumar and five others in the murder case of PTI MPA Sardar Soran Singh.

Soran Singh was assassinated in his native village in Buner on April 22, 2016. Following the murder, KP police claimed to have arrested six suspects, including Kumar. Police had said they suspected Kumar to be behind the murder as he had a tiff with Soran Singh over being elected as the special adviser to KP chief minister on minority affairs.

Kumar wanted to contest the elections but could not since he was unable to secure a party ticket. However, Soran Singh was elected on the position instead.

According to the police, this led Kumar to hire assassins for the PTI MPA’s murder.

The accused PTI leader was therefore facing trial at an anti-terrorism court. Nevertheless, Peshawar High Court had allowed him to take oath ahead of the Senate elections. But resistance from PTI leaders put the procedure on a standstill.

However, at a hearing held over the case on April 5, PHC ordered the assembly speaker to take oath from Kumar. The directives were issued over claims made by Kumar’s counsel that the assembly speaker was deliberately not taking oath from their client.