PHC halts BISP salary recoveries

Orders detailed report after Grade-20 officers found among beneficiaries

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday stopped the recovery of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) funds from the salaries of government employees, while also raising serious questions about why high-ranking officers were not facing departmental action.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Inamullah Khan heard multiple writ petitions challenging the deduction of BISP amounts from the monthly salaries of government workers whose family members had received the stipend.

During the proceedings, the court ordered an immediate halt to all such salary deductions until further notice.

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Justice Ijaz Anwar observed that even Grade-20 officers had received BISP funds, yet only salary deductions were being made against them. “Departmental proceedings should have been initiated against them instead,” the judge remarked.

Petitioners’ counsels, including Aminur Rehman Yousafzai and Umer Farooq, informed the court that their clients were government employees whose family members had legitimately received BISP financial assistance. They argued that the recovery process was now being carried out arbitrarily, with excessive amounts being deducted monthly, leaving employees with little to no salary.

Jamal Abdul Naseer, Assistant Director Legal for BISP, appeared before the court and confirmed that recovery was underway from both government employees and BISP staff who had received the program’s funds.

Justice Anwar directed the BISP officials to submit a comprehensive report detailing the eligibility criteria for the program. “You must inform us what the criteria was initially, how it changed over time, and who qualified for the assistance. Submit a complete, detailed report,” the court ordered.

The bench also noted that an inquiry had previously been conducted against district judiciary officers and employees regarding BISP fund receipt.

The court adjourned the hearing after summoning a detailed report from the Benazir Income Support Program authorities.