PHC moved against PTM’s jirga

PESHAWAR: A resident of Khyber tribal district on Thursday moved the Peshawar High Court against the establishment of Pakhtun Qaumi Adalat by the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) in the district.

The petition was filed by a resident of Khyber, Khatirullah, through advocate Daniyal Asad Chamkani.The federal and provincial governments, commissioner Peshawar Division, deputy commissioner, Inspector General of Police, and Manzoor Pashteen, the leader of PTM have been named as respondents in the petition.

The petition read that previously, the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) was imposed in the former tribal areas, but after the 25th Constitutional Amendment, these areas were merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Following the merger, a formal judicial system was established in these districts with 28 judicial officers now working there, and the FCR was abolished.According to the petition, the PTM established in 2014, which has recently initiated the creation of a new judicial system under the name of Pakhtun Qaumi Adalat in Khyber district.

A formal invitation had been sent to the people and the court was inaugurated on September 29 in Jamrud in Khyber district.The petitioner claimed that these actions by the PTM were illegal and unconstitutional, as establishing a parallel court system undermined the existing judicial structure in Pakistan. It added that any authority other than the Supreme Court, high courts, and subordinate courts giving punishments or resolving disputes violated both national and international laws.The petitioner prayed the court to declare the Pashtun Qaumi Court established by Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement in Khyber district and Razmak in South Waziristan as illegal.