PHC stops work on uplift schemes till elections

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday stopped the work on the development schemes till the holding of the general elections.The order was issued by a two-member PHC bench while hearing as many petitions.The bench consisted of Justice Ejaz Anwar and Justice SM Attique Shah.

Mian Zakir Hussain appeared for the petitioner, Attaullah. He argued that the caretaker did not have the mandate to launch the development schemes. He submitted that the date for the general elections had been announced but despite that development projects were being implemented.

Justice Ejaz Anwar observed that the caretaker government’s only responsibility was to look after the day-to-day affairs and ensure holding of the free and fair general elections.He wondered how development schemes could be executed when it had been announced that the general election would be held on February 8, next year.

The judge asked the Election Commission of Pakistan lawyer, Mohsin Kamran, if elections were going to be held, to which he replied in the affirmative.Deputy Attorney General Altaf Ahmad informed the court that development schemes had been launched in Bannu and Waziristan regions even before the caretaker setups were installed and these would benefit the masses.

Justice Ajaz Anwar said February 8 was not far-off and that development schemes should be carried out after the general elections.

Justice SM Attique Shah asked why the federal and provincial governments were taking too much interest in the uplift projects.The state counsel submitted that these schemes had been launched before the caretaker setups were put in place.But the judge said the ground realities were very much clear and known to all, hence the development schemes should be put on hold and executed after the general elections were oever.