Agriculture project sacked employees move PHC

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) put the KP government on notice Thursday in a petition filed against the termination of the employees who were recruited for the Agriculture Transformation Project of the Agriculture Department.

A two-member bench of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Syed Arshad Ali heard the petition filed by Ahsan, Ayesha and others. Malik Umer Farooq appeared for the petitioners while the chief planning officer represented the Agriculture Department.

The Agriculture Department official submitted that the project was launched two years back to train the poor farmers in the new techniques to grow better crops.

He said the project had been dropped from the Annual Development Plan for lack of funds. The counsel for the petitioners said the services of his clients were hired

initially for one year and later extended for another year.

He said 70 percent of those recruited were PhD degree holders while the rest were with M Phil. “Where will these highly qualified people go after the sacking?” he asked.The counsel said the work of the project employees was acknowledged by giving them the commendation certificates. But even then the project was scrapped.

He rejected the lack of funding reasons cited by the government for closing the project and pointed out that the KP government had launched other projects to accommodate blue-eyed boys.The court sought a detailed report from the government and adjourned the hearing into the case to July 31.