Unfinished business: PHC summons planning division secretary over stalled project

Former PM Yousaf Raza Gilani had allocated over Rs900m for supply of gas to Hangu.

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday asked the secretary of the federal planning division to appear in person in the next hearing to explain why funds have not been allocated to provide gas to residents of Hangu and adjacent areas despite allocation of funds by former prime minister (PM) Yousaf Raza Gilani.

A division bench of Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Ikramullah Khan was informed by petitioner Abdul Nabi Bangash’s counsel Abdul Latif Afridi that the former PM had announced the allocation of Rs902.06 million for providing gas to Thal tehsil and adjacent areas. Bangash, a Senator of the Awami National Party, hails from Thal and chairs the Senate Committee on Education, Training and Standards in Higher Education.

Afridi told the bench that Gilani had also ordered authorities to complete the project within three years but despite the passage of stipulated time the government is yet to sanction the necessary funds.

Deputy Attorney General Manzoor Khalil told the court that being a senator the petitioner could use his discretionary funds for the project. The funds for the project were not included in the Annual Development Programme for 2012-13 which is why the project could not be started, he added.

Latif replied saying the former PM had completed development projects worth Rs480 million in his own constituency but had not released funds for the gas supply.

The bench, after hearing arguments, ordered the planning division secretary to appear in person at the next date of the hearing to assist the court regarding the delay in allocation of funds for the project.

Accused in ANP leader’s murder gets bail

In a separate case, additional sessions judge Kalim Arshad released on bail an accused in the murder of Awami National Party (ANP) leader Najma Hanif. The accused, Noorul Hasan, is the brother-in-law of the deceased.

The prosecutor told the court unidentified people had killed Hanif on August 17 last year at her house in Phase-I, Hayatabad, Peshawar. Later the deceased’s son Sajjad filed a report with the police and named Hasan and his own driver Shereen as the accused.

Hasan’s counsel Sahibzada Asadullah told the court his client was not at home at the time of the incident but even then his bail before arrest was rejected and his client was arrested in the case.

The court after hearing the arguments granted bail to the accused on the condition of furnishing two surety bonds worth Rs200,000.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2014.