Humayun Khan
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has granted protective bail to Deputy Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Surya Bibi and Provincial Minister for Sports Fakhra Jehan till 24th January. The court has also directed the federal government to provide details of the cases registered against them.
A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court, comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Waqar Ahmad heard the petition while the petitioners’ lawyer, Alam Khan Adeenzai informed the court that the federal government had registered multiple cases against the leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after the November 24 protests in Islamabad.
The lawyer argued that the federal government was not providing them with the details of the cases, making it difficult for them to appear before the relevant courts. He requested the court to direct the federal government to provide the details of the cases and grant protective bail to the petitioners.
The court accepted the petition and granted protective bail to Surya Bibi and Fakhra Jehan till January 24. The court also directed the federal government to provide the details of the cases registered against them. In a separate case, PHC Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim granted protective bail to former provincial minister and PTI leader, Timur Saleem Jhagra, January 3. The court directed Jhagra to appear before the relevant courts and cooperate with the investigation.
Court sought written response against curtaining LG members powers: A divisional bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Arshad Ali ordered government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to submit a written response on a petition challenging the transfer of powers from local government representatives to the provincial government, on Thursday.
The petition was filed by Peshawar Mayor Zubair Ali along with Mardan Mayor Himayat Ullah and others. The petitioners’ lawyer, Babar Khan Yousafzai argued that the recent amendments to the Local Government Act are in conflict with court decisions and have stripped the local government representatives of their powers.
The lawyer stated that the powers of the Tehsil Council have been transferred to the provincial government, leaving the Tehsil Chairman with no authority. He argued that the amendments to the Local Government Act are contrary to the court’s decisions and have resulted in the erosion of the rights of the local government representatives.
Justice Ijaz Anwar asked whether the amendments had resulted in the elimination of the fundamental rights of the local government representatives. The petitioners’ lawyer replied that the powers of the local government representatives had been reduced after the amendments.
Justice Syed Arshad Ali observed that judges take an oath to protect the Constitution, and it is their duty to perform their responsibilities. He asked the petitioners’ lawyer to prove how the amendments had resulted in the erosion of the fundamental rights of the local government representatives. The Additional Advocate General present in the court argued that the seven merged districts do not have offices or funds for the local government representatives. PHC directed the provincial government to submit a written response and adjourned further hearing till date to be fix.
