PHC suspends NWA political agent’s orders transferring officials

PESHAWAR: Suspending orders of the North Waziristan political agent, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) Friday asked the official to explain under what authority he banned entry of political moharrirs into the tribal region and issued their arrest warrants.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Ikramullah Khan also put on notice North Waziristan Political Agent Kamran Afridi and additional chief secretary Fata to submit reply and explain the issuance of unlawful orders.

After going through the record and orders of the political agent North Waziristan, Justice Qaiser Rashid observed that the political agents are acting like ‘kings’ and not as government servants.

The court passed these directions in a writ petition filed by political moharrirs of North Waziristan Agency including Mirabas, Hakeem Khan, Salman Salim, Muhammad Noor, Naimatullah, Sajid Alam and Inayatullah through their lawyers Ijaz Anwar and Abdul Karim Mahsud.

During the course of hearing, Ijaz Anwar noted that the petitioners were performing their duties with zeal and devotion.He submitted that the North Waziristan political agent on May 16, 2016 issued their transfer order to various stations form the agency and appointed daily wagers in their place on their regular posts against the law and rules.

Ijaz Anwar and Abdul Karim Mahsud argued that the petitioners’ premature transfer was issued by the political agent after they refused to comply with his illegal orders. They said the political agent took action against the petitioners when they approached commissioner Bannu to challenge the transfer orders and subsequently took charge of their posts subject to the decision on their departmental appeal.

They said the political agent imposed ban on the petitioners’ entry to North Waziristan on May 28 and their families were made hostage there and they couldn’t even meet their families.The political agent on June 13 issued their warrant of arrest and directing them to appear before him.

They said the political agent is in the habit of imposing ban on government officials in North Waziristan as earlier he had imposed ban on former assistant political agent Fahad Ikram Qazi.

The lawyers said the petitioners are willing to face charges if any and there is no chance that they could interfere with any record or hamper the proceedings as they have already been posted to other stations. They pleaded that the petitioners had the right that the ban on them to visit North Waziristan be lifted and they should be allowed to perform their duty.

The petitioners requested the court to restrain the political agent from proceeding against them with regard to their life, liberty and service career as they are now being involved in false cases because they challenged their premature transfer by him.