PHC orders implementation of 2014 fund order

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday issued directions to the additional chief secretary Fata, political agents of all tribal agencies and deputy commissioners in the Frontier Regions to strictly implement the Agency Political Welfare Fund Standing Order 2014 without further delay.

A division bench comprising Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Syed Muhammad Attique Shah disposed of the writ petition with the directions to the concerned officials in Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to strictly implement the Agency Political Welfare Fund Standing Order issued on April 14, 2014 by the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The bench issued directions in the writ petition filed by People’s Accountability Forum, Fata, through its chairman Ghani Gul Mehsud, coordinator Malik Inayatullah Afridi and consultant Zafar Shaheen through which they sought implementation of the standing order.

During hearing, Shakeel Ahmad, counsel for the petitioners, submitted that the Fata Secretariat on April 14, 2014 issued Agency Political Welfare Fund Standing Order which stated that funds would be issued through receipts and records of all expenditure would be maintained and submitted in the Fata Secretariat on monthly basis.

As per the standing order, he added, all political agents and deputy commissioners of FRs shall print machine readable permits/rahdaris and their details shall be communicated to Fata Secretariat every month along with monthly reconciled statements of receipts and expenditures.

The order also states that the mode of receipts shall be bank deposit and expenditures through cross cheques duly supported by vouchers, if any.Furthermore, it was stated that a receipt register shall be maintained on a daily basis showing items receipt of the funds duly signed by political agents and deputy commissioners in FRs.It said that entry points shall be notified through which authorised goods are transported and proper register of receipts be maintained.