Ultimatum: FC troops must be redeployed by April 2, says PHC

Warns interior ministry of initiating contempt of court proceedings.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday warned of initiating contempt of court proceedings against the interior ministry if it fails to redeploy Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel back to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) by April 2.

A division bench headed by PHC Chief Justice (CJ) Dost Muhammad Khan and comprising Justice Irshad Qaisar issued the warning while hearing a petition filed by the provincial government on redeployment of FC troops stationed in other parts of the country.

Standing counsel Javed Ali Asghar informed the bench that Ministry of Interior joint secretary Akhtar Jan Wazir was on his way to appear before the court, but returned after hearing of his mother’s demise. Asghar requested the bench to give the ministry more time to respond.

The bench observed this was not the first time the ministry was seeking more time, adding that despite having committed to return the FC personnel by November 6, 2012, they have not done so yet. “Tell us a genuine reason for failing to redeploy FC,” said Justice Khan.



Granting Asghar’s request, the bench later set April 2 as the deadline to return FC platoons back to K-P.

In May 2012, the K-P government filed an application in the court, claiming it lacked sufficient manpower to handle the security situation in the restive province. The application was then converted into a petition.



The Election Commission of Pakistan has also sought the intervention of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf for bringing back FC platoons for increased security during the upcoming general elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2013.