PHC attaches Ministry of Interior secretary

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday attached the salary of secretary for Ministry of Interior for non-compliance with the court order after he failed to submit reply in a writ petition filed by an official of the Frontier Constabulary for his promotion.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Ijaz Anwar attached the salary till submission of a reply in the writ petition. The court issued the direction in a writ petition filed by Arshad Alam, an official of Frontier Constabulary, through his lawyer Khalid Rehman.

During the hearing, the lawyer submitted that the petitioner was a district officer at Frontier Constabulary and his promotion from grade-17 to 18 had been due since 2012. The lawyer submitted that commandant of the Frontier Constabulary had forwarded twice the summary for the petitioner promotion to grade-18, but the ministry returned the same without citing any reasons. He argued that the petitioner had filed the writ petition in 2015 for his promotion, but despite repeated notices the Interior secretary was not submitting reply in the case.

The bench asked the deputy attorney general to ensure submission of the reply from the Ministry of Interior. It said the salary of Interior secretary should be stopped till submission of the reply in the case.