Court orders: PHC tracks down misuse of government facilities
Asks for report on number of civil servants receiving conveyance allowance illegally.
Advocate Furqan was allegedly beaten up by the police on February 7 after which lawyers boycotted proceedings. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed the finance secretary to submit a report on the number of civil servants who have their residence within the limits of their workplaces and still get conveyance allowance.
Chief Justice (CJ) Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Irshad Qaiser issued these orders while hearing a petition filed by Dr Shahsawar.
Shahsawar’s counsel Farmanullah Khattak told the bench his client, who used to live in the hospital’s hostel in 2008-2009, was not allowed conveyance allowance because of audit objections that any civil servant residing within the limits of the place of duty shall not be paid. Khattak appealed to the court to term the notification void.
The bench not only dismissed Khattak’s plea, it also ordered the secretary of finance to conduct a search and collect data on all such employees.
Meanwhile, Investigation Officials (IO) probing the alleged police torture case of Advocate Furqan told the PHC that cases have been registered against all accused police personnel, including Assistant Superintendent Police (ASP) Akbar Ali.
IO Hamidullah Baloch informed the bench that the four accused police personnel are in jail while Ali has obtained transit bail from the Lahore High Court, valid till March 5. He added that two pistols, and an AK-47 among other ammunition recovered from Furqan were returned after licences for the weapons were produced.
The bench said investigation officials should conclude the case within the shortest possible time. The court also said if pre-arrest bail of the ASP is not confirmed, then he should be arrested and interrogated.
Advocate Furqan was allegedly beaten up by the police on February 7 after which lawyers boycotted proceedings. CJ Khan then took suo motu notice of the incident and demanded an inquiry. The bench adjourned the hearing for March 14.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2013.
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed the finance secretary to submit a report on the number of civil servants who have their residence within the limits of their workplaces and still get conveyance allowance.
Chief Justice (CJ) Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Irshad Qaiser issued these orders while hearing a petition filed by Dr Shahsawar.
Shahsawar’s counsel Farmanullah Khattak told the bench his client, who used to live in the hospital’s hostel in 2008-2009, was not allowed conveyance allowance because of audit objections that any civil servant residing within the limits of the place of duty shall not be paid. Khattak appealed to the court to term the notification void.
The bench not only dismissed Khattak’s plea, it also ordered the secretary of finance to conduct a search and collect data on all such employees.
Meanwhile, Investigation Officials (IO) probing the alleged police torture case of Advocate Furqan told the PHC that cases have been registered against all accused police personnel, including Assistant Superintendent Police (ASP) Akbar Ali.
IO Hamidullah Baloch informed the bench that the four accused police personnel are in jail while Ali has obtained transit bail from the Lahore High Court, valid till March 5. He added that two pistols, and an AK-47 among other ammunition recovered from Furqan were returned after licences for the weapons were produced.
The bench said investigation officials should conclude the case within the shortest possible time. The court also said if pre-arrest bail of the ASP is not confirmed, then he should be arrested and interrogated.
Advocate Furqan was allegedly beaten up by the police on February 7 after which lawyers boycotted proceedings. CJ Khan then took suo motu notice of the incident and demanded an inquiry. The bench adjourned the hearing for March 14.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2013.