UoP officials say Botanical Garden yet to be reopened

PESHAWAR: The deputy commissioner Nowshera has refused to comply with the court order on reopening the Botanical Garden and Centre of Bio-Diversity of the University of Peshawar in Azakhel area in the Nowshera district, the university officials said.

The University of Peshawar officials including Deputy Director Legal Aimal Khan, Director Administration Ishtiaqullah and Director Botanical Garden Azakhel, Dr Asad told The News that the Nowshera deputy commissioner had refused to reopen the Botanical Garden and Centre of Bio-Diversity even after they produced the Peshawar High Court (PHC) order last Thursday that had called for unlocking the two places.

According to the officials, the deputy commissioner said that he would submit reply to the court rather than comply with the order and reopen the Botanical Garden and Centre of Bio-Diversity. On Wednesday last, the PHC division bench comprising Justice Irshad Qaiser and Justice Syed Afsar Shah had issued the direction in a contempt of court petition filed by the University of Peshawar to reopen the Botanical Garden and Centre of Bio-Diversity for the students. The court had also issued contempt of court notice to the deputy commissioner for forcibly locking the Botanical Garden and Centre of Bio-Diversity despite the court’s stay order.

After the deputy commissioner’s refusal to reopen the Botanical Garden and Centre of Bio-Diversity, the University of Peshawar submitted an application in the contempt of court petition in PHC. It sought the court’s order to direct the Nowshera district police officer to comply with it and reopen the Botanical Garden’s main gate.