Officials put on notice for NHMP demotions

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the federal secretaries Establishment and Finance in a petition challenging the abolition of hundreds of positions of patrol officers and the demotion of employees in National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP).

PHC’s divisional bench comprising of Justice Arshad Ali and Justice Wiqar Ahmad sought reply from the officials concerned within 14 days and restrained them from taking any action against the petitioners.

Nasir Mahmood Advocate argued that the petitioners were initially recruited as Junior Patrol Officers in grade 5 and were promoted to Assistant Patrol Officers (Assistant Sub-Inspectors) in grade 9 and later to Patrol Officers (Sub-Inspectors) in grade 14.

However, the federal secretary Establishment abolished the positions on November 1.The bench issued notices to the officials and adjourned the hearing till December 5.The federal secretary Establishment, secretary Finance, Secretary Communication and others were made respondents in the petition.