PHC advises K-P govt to fulfill legal requirements before troop pullout

Says detention centres in the area are under army's control, its absence might jeopardise the missing persons issue.

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government should consult the federal government and the army before it proceeds with its decision to pull troops out from Malakand division, the Peshawar High Court said on Tuesday.

On September 14, K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak approved the pullout of troops from Malakand division in a move many believe was aimed at appeasing the homegrown Taliban before the start of formal peace negotiations.

While hearing the missing persons case today, Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Dost Muhammad Khan said the detention centres – where most of the missing persons are kept – are managed by the army and a pullout without proper transfer of authority to another entity will jeopardise the situation.

The PHC chief justice told advocate general that the pullout should take place once all legal requirements are fulfilled.

Chief Justice Khan asked the concerned authorities to set up an inquiry board for this matter and ensure that the entire record of those held in the detention centres are provided to the court before the troops’ withdrawal.

The court said the report by the inquiry board should be submitted on October 24.