PHC upholds FIR against police officers

The Peshawar High Court has upheld the order to file an FIR against police officers who illegally raided a citizen's home and took valuable items. The court also dismissed the petition seeking to cancel the FIR.

Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Waqar Ahmed of the Peshawar High Court began the hearing, during which the court was informed that a lower court had ordered the filing of a case against the police officers, Inspector Humayun and Wajid Shah.

The citizen, Jahangir, had submitted a petition in court on December 22, requesting that a case be registered against the officers, which was accepted by the lower court. As a result, the police filed the case in December 2021.

According to the prosecution, the two officers conducted an illegal raid on Jahangir's house. They violated the sanctity of the home and misused their authority. Additionally, they subjected the complainant's family to violence, it was alleged. After the case was registered, the police officers approached the Peshawar High Court, requesting that the case be dismissed. However, after hearing the arguments, the court dismissed the petition and upheld the lower court's decision.

The Election Tribunal of the Peshawar High Court has postponed the hearing on petitions filed against the alleged alteration of election results in the general elections held on February 8, until September 30. Yesterday, Justice Shakeel Ahmed of the Election Tribunal began proceedings, during which the petitioners' lawyer, Shumail Ahmed, and the opposing party's lawyer, Aamir Javed, appeared in court.

Aamir Javed informed the court that they had submitted a supplementary application, requesting a certified copy of the election petition.

He further stated that the petitions were not admissible and that supplementary applications had also been filed regarding this issue. In response, the petitioners' lawyer, Shumail Butt, told the court that they should submit the application and receive the copy.

Aamir Javed, the lawyer for the opposing side, then informed the court that they had applied for the copy but had not received it. Justice Shakeel Ahmed approved their request, instructing that a certified copy be provided to them.

The petitioners' lawyer requested that the election petitions be scheduled for an expedited hearing, noting that by law, these petitions must be decided within 120 days. Justice Shakeel Ahmed replied that notices to the parties had not even been served within 120 days.

Justice Shakeel Ahmed directed the petitioners' lawyer to respond to the objections raised by the winning candidates' lawyer by September 30. The court then adjourned the hearing until September 30.

It is noteworthy that former provincial minister Kamran Bangash, former deputy speaker Mehmood Jan, Malik Shahab Advocate, former DDC chairman Arbab Jandad, former MNA Sajid Nawaz, and former Peshawar mayor Arbab Asim, who were independent candidates from PTI in the recent general elections, have filed petitions with the election tribunal against changes in the election results.

Justice be swift

Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim stated that resolving pending cases swiftly is his top priority. He noted that previously, in the Services Tribunal, cases were scheduled for hearings after seven or eight months, but now dates are given immediately.

His goal is to reduce the difficulties faced by litigants and the public who come to court. He expressed these views while addressing a ceremony on the occasion of the inauguration of the e-filing system at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Service Tribunal in Peshawar.