PHC seeks written arguments in LG Act case

Separately, anti-corruption to file chargesheet against former lawmakers

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court has sought written arguments from the provincial government and the petitioners on the cases filed against the amendments to the Local Government Act.

During the hearing, Justices Ijaz Anwar and Syed Arshad Ali presided over the case. The petitioners' advocates, Qazi Jawad and Babar Khan Yousafzai, informed the court that the provincial government made amendments to the act after the local government elections.

They argued that these amendments reduced the powers of local government representatives in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and such changes should have been made before the elections. However, the previous PTI government made the amendments after the elections, which they claimed is unconstitutional and illegal.

The court was informed that the caretaker government had already submitted its response in this case, but the current government had not yet done so. Advocate General Shah Faisal Uthman Khail, present in the court, assured they would submit their response by Thursday. The petitioners' lawyers mentioned that they had already prepared their response and would also submit it soon.

The court instructed both parties to submit their written arguments and postponed further hearings of the case till next week.

FIR against former lawmakers

The Peshawar High Court ordered the Anti-Corruption Department to submit a charge sheet within 15 days when hearing a petition seeking the dismissal of an FIR against former K-P Assembly deputy speaker Mehmood Jan and ex-provincial ministers.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim remarked, "It's your government, and the sword is in your hand."

The two-member bench, consisting of Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Waqar Ahmad, heard the petitions filed by former deputy speaker Mehmood Jan and former provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Kamran Bangash, and Muhammad Ishtiaq Urmar, who are seeking the cancellation of the FIR lodged by the Anti-Corruption Department.