Judicial complex attack: PHC issues notice to government

Victims’ families still have not received compensation

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court issued a notice to the provincial government on Tuesday for failing to compensate families of victims who died in an attack on the judicial complex in 2013.

A divisional bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Musarrat Hilali heard a writ petition filed by the Peshawar High Court Bar Association. During the hearing, the bench sought details of the Shuhada package for families of victims.

PHCBA Association Secretary Ilyas Akhtar informed the bench a large number of lawyers were killed and injured in the suicide blast at the judicial complex. He said families had yet to receive compensation even though two years had passed. Akhtar asked the court to ensure families were given the same amount that families of government officials would receive. He said the government had failed to provide complete details of the Shuhada package even though it had been ordered to do so at the previous hearing.

Additional Advocate General Syed Qaiser Ali Shah requested the bench to grant some time to provide these details. The bench accepted his plea and adjourned the case till the next hearing. Militants orchestrated the attack in May 2013. At least four people were killed while 29 others were injured.

On notice

The same bench issued a notice to the director of Health Services Academy and sought a reply from him over failure to provide salary and benefits to a junior stenographer whose promotion had been approved. The decision was announced while hearing a petition filed by Hisam Arshad Mir through his attorney, Advocate Rahmanullah.

During the hearing, Rahmanullah told the bench his client was appointed as a BPS-14 official on September 16, 2013. His promotion to BPS-16 has been approved by the departmental committee. He added Mir is still earning the salary allotted to a grade-14 official and has not been provided perks and privileges.

He urged the bench to accept the petition and issue orders to relevant authorities to provide Mir the salary and perks reserved for grade-16 officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2015.