Illicit appointment: PHC summons chief secretary, secretary for forest

Petitions of three suspects dismissed

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court summoned Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Amjad Ali Khan and secretary for Forest on Friday for not implementing court orders on appointing Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI) director Hakeem Shah as director general.

A division bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Syed Afsar Shah heard the petition filed by Hakeem.

The proceeding

Arguing before the bench, advocates Ijaz Anwar and Zartaj Anwar said in April 2015, PHC had directed the provincial government to appoint Hakeem as PFI DG. However, the court order was violated as the forest, wildlife and fisheries secretary was given the responsibilities of the DG.

The advocates argued the provincial government had also challenged a PHC ruling at the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) where it was not only rejected but the SCP ordered Hakeem be appointed for the post within two months.

Ijaz and Zartaj informed the bench that despite the passage of two months, Hakeem was still appointed as acting DG, which was a clear and deliberate violation of court orders. Moreover, the provincial government has listed the current position for PFI DG as vacant, which means officers from other departments would be appointed. The bench heard the arguments and summoned K-P chief secretary and secretary for forest on January 20, who are likely to be indicted in contempt of court.

Drug trafficking

A single bench comprising PHC Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel dismissed applications of three suspects involved in smuggling narcotics and released a woman on bail.

Additional Advocate General Syed Qaiser Ali Shah and Anti-Narcotic Force (ANF) lawyer Iqbal Mohmand told the bench ANF arrested Muhammad Tahir on November 9, 2015 and found six kilogrammes of hashish in a shopping bag in his possession. They told the bench ANF arrested Meherban Shah, a resident of Khyber Agency, on November 24, 2015 and seized a vehicle from which three kilogrammes of hashish was found. Another suspect, Muhammad Gul, a resident of Kurram Agency, was arrested on November 12, 2015 and three kilogrammes of hashish was confiscated from him.

The court was informed a woman identified as Sanam was arrested on October 5, 2015 with 2.4 kilogrammes of hashish. The court dismissed petitions of all three male suspects but released the woman on bail.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16^th, 2016.