At snail’s pace: Court summons officials over Northern Bypass project

Asks authorities to explain why it has not been completed within the given timeframe.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday served show-cause notices to concerned officials of the National Highway Authority (NHA) and project director of Northern Bypass to explain why the construction of the bypass has not been completed within the given timeframe.

The notices were issued by a division bench headed by PHC Chief Justice (CJ) Dost Muhammad Khan and comprising Justice Khalid Mehmood during a hearing of a petition filed by Advocate Muhammad Essa Khan against the closure of different roads leading to the cantonment area.

The bench observed that NHA officials had made a commitment before the court saying the Northern Bypass would be completed within four months, but the road remains off limits to the public even after over a year.

During the hearing, the capital city police chief submitted his reply saying the road has been blocked due to security concerns.



Deputy Attorney General Iqbal Mohmand said the police chief reply cites the presence of sensitive installations and offices of senior officials of the armed forces as the reason for not allowing the public to travel through roads leading to the cantonment area.

The bench also directed traffic police officials to keep roads leading to educational institutions and hospitals open and chalk out a plan to streamline traffic.

The case was adjourned till January 30.

Meanwhile, a local court refused a bail before arrest application of former SHO of Badhaber police station Abdul Qadir following which he was arrested on court premises.

Abdul Ghani, a resident of Mattani, had filed a habeas corpus application before Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, alleging that Qadir had illegally detained his brother Abdul Wali.

The PHC issued a notice to Qadir, upon which he filed a bail before arrest application. Apart from detaining Wali in illegal custody, Qadir is also facing corruption charges during his service at the Badhaber police station.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2013.