Funds for peacekeeping: PHC issues contempt notices to K-P govt for failing to abide by ruling

Petitioner says grant set for displaced people living in Kohat has not been paid.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has issued contempt of court notices to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government for failing to release funds to regional municipal committees and the Kohat deputy commissioner for the purpose of maintaining peace in the region during Muharram.

The government was told to submit its response within 10 days.

The notices were issued by the division bench of Justice Malik Manzoor Husain and Justice Ikramullah on Tuesday during the hearing of a contempt of court case filed by petitioner Javed Ibrahim Paracha.

Paracha said people displaced from Orakzai and Kurram agencies had been residing in Kohat for the last few years due to army action against militants in their areas. He said the provincial government had to issue an annual grant of Rs1.5 million the displaced people, but the amount hadn’t been released for the current year.

The petitioner also informed the court that in order to maintain law and order during the month of Muharram, peace committees had been established in Parachinar as well as Hangu and Kohat districts. He mentioned that the K-P government is required to release funds for the committees annually. However, the money was yet to be handed over despite an earlier order of the PHC to release it.

The petitioner told the court that Eidul Azha holidays were nearing and the issue of payment could linger on.

Paracha asked the court to direct the provincial government to issue the funds in a timely manner. The two-member bench issued a notice to the government to submit its response within 10 days.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2014.