PHC issues notices in Khyber redistricting case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has issued orders to proceed with the investigation into the dispute over redistricting in two provincial assembly constituencies of Khyber district.

The relevant returning officer has been directed to take necessary actions as per an order dated December 18, and notices

have been issued to the parties concerned for a future hearing.

Justice Fazal Subhan of the Peshawar High Court conducted a hearing regarding the inclusion of three villages from PK-70 Khyber into PK-71.

During the hearing, the counsel for the applicants, Shumail Ahmed Butt Advocate, informed the court that his clients have collected documents from PK-70 Khyber. However, the Election Commission has included these three villages from PK-70 into PK-71 overnight.

He further explained to the court that the voters and endorsers of the applicants were registered in PK-70, which has now been transferred to PK-71. The order issued on December 18 includes these three villages as part of PK-70.

Another order was issued last night, indicating these same three villages (Warsak Khan Klay, Hazrat Gullay, and Bazaar Gullay) as part of PK-71, which is illegal as per the Supreme Court’s directive not to alter constituency boundaries.

He said the scrutiny of the applicants is not being conducted assuredly, raising concerns about the possible rejection of their documents. After hearing the arguments, the court ordered the returning officer to proceed with actions according to the order dated December 18 and issued notices to the parties concerned for a future hearing.