Closure of Agri transformation plan: PHC summons Secretary

Humayun Khan

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court (PHC) summoned Secretary’s Agriculture to appear in termination of 243 employees recruited under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agricultural Transformation Plan through Agriculture Extension Department, as well as issued notice to Pakhtunkhwa’s government for comments in this regard, on Tuesday.

During hearing Justice Ijaz Anwar observed that is government eliminating agriculture to establish housing societies as the project being ongoing in Sindh and Punjab provinces.

The counsel Malik Ghulam Mohiuddin advocate argued that the project was launched two years ago to provide training to farmers on new agricultural techniques and to provide seeds and fertilizers to the growers.

The project had a budget of Rs. 2 billion, but the current government has decided to terminate it and lay off over 243 employees, including Ph.D. and M. Phil holders.

The petitioners claimed that the government’s decision is illegal and unjustified, and that it will cause hardship to the farmers who were benefiting from the project. They also pointed out that the project is still ongoing in Sindh and Punjab, and that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s decision to terminate it is discriminatory.

The counsel requested the court to restrain the government from terminating the employees and to direct the government to continue the project. PHC’s divisional bench comprising of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Syed Arshad Ali issued notice to the provincial government seeking an explanation for the termination of the employees and the project.

Court forms bench to review PCB scrutiny committee chairman’s removal: Peshawar High Court (PHC) has constituted a two-member bench to examine the removal of the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Scrutiny Committee, following a hearing on a petition challenging the dismissal, on Tuesday.

PHC’s divisional comprising Justice SM Attique Shah and Justice Ijaz Sabi, convened to address concerns raised in the petition against the removal of Arbab Altaf as Scrutiny Committee Chairman.

The petitioner’s lawyer argued that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment was allegedly unlawful and detrimental to cricket. Justice SM Atiq Shah queried the petitioner’s lawyer about the appointment procedures in other cricketing nations like Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, where independent bodies oversee such appointments, contrasting with Pakistan’s political appointment system. The lawyer highlighted that Pakistan could learn from constitutional models in countries like Korea and Afghanistan, which have updated their procedures for transparent appointments.

Following deliberations, PHC adjourned the hearing until July 12, signaling a continued legal scrutiny into the matter. This development underscores ongoing judicial oversight into cricket governance issues in Pakistan.