PHC withholds Fata officials’ salaries

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday withheld the salaries of additional chief secretary and director education of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) for non-compliance with the court’s orders.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Asadullah Khan Chamkani passed the order while hearing a writ petition against the officials. The bench also directed the officials to submit replies in the case before the next hearing. Khaista Reh man, principal of Bajaur High School, had filed a writ petition. He had sought his appointment to grade-19 post.
The petitioner’s lawyer Khalid Rehman submitted before the bench that his client was a grade-19 officer. But the respondent officials in violation of the rules and law appointed a grade-18 officer as agency education officer to the post of grade-19. He said his client and other senior officers were ignored.
The counsel submitted that notices were issued to the officials by the court for submission of the comments, but they did not comply with the court’s orders.
Separately, another PHC bench headed by Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel dismissed a bail petition of an accused allegedly charged in a narcotics case.
Additional Advocate General, Qaiser Ali Shah, submitted before the bench that Charsadda Police had arrested the accused, Bilal, on December 5, 2014 after seizing 70 kilogram hashish from him.