Peshawar Development Authority DG restrained from taking action against director

Teenage girl imprisoned for smuggling heroin, case to be heard within 90 days.

The bench suspended the notice and sought replies from members of the committee along with PDA DG. PHOTO: PPI

PESHAWAR:
A division bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) has restrained the director general of Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) from taking action against a director of Building Control Agency (BCA) on Friday. It has also sought a reply from him.

The bench, headed by Justice Nisar Hussain, heard a writ filed by PDA BCA director Khan Afzal Afridi filed through his lawyer Khalid Anwar.

Anwar said a committee was set up to enquire into allegations levelled against the petitioner. He said the committee issued a show cause notice to the petitioner at a time when a high court bench had suspended a notification issued by the DG for initiating action against Afridi. He said the enquiry committee issued show cause notice and a charge sheet against him even though the court had ordered otherwise.

After hearing the arguments, the bench suspended the notice and sought replies from members of the committee along with PDA DG.

Bail plea rejected


PHC Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel rejected a bail application of a 17-year old girl who was charged with heroin smuggling and issued an order for her to be transferred to jail. The chief justice also ordered the trial court to decide the case within three months.

When the hearing commenced, counsel Sawar Khan said the applicant Tahira Mehmud was a beautician who had come to Peshawar to purchase cosmetics.

He said on her way back, she was stopped near Motorway by Anti-Narcotic Force (ANF) who allegedly found five kilogrammes of heroin from her luggage. Khan said there was no truth in the claim made by ANF and since Mehmud was a juvenile, she should be released on bail.

ANF prosecutor Iqbal Mohmand argued that heroin was seized from Mehmud on the spot which was a criminal offence. He urged the judge to reject her bail plea. After hearing arguments, Justice Miankhel accepted ANF’s plea and sent Mehmud to jail. He said the suspect will be released if the trial court does not decide upon the matter within the stipulated time of three months.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16th, 2016.
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