PHC puts Fata officials on notice

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday sought reply from director education Fata and assistant political agent Jamrud in a writ petition filed against the officials for not implementing inquiry report recommendations about appointment of ‘ghost’ teachers in the Khyber Agency.

A division bench comprising Justice Qalandar Ali Khan and Justice Nasir Mehfooz sought comments from the officials.

They were directed to explain as to why the inquiry recommendations about the ‘ghost’ teachers in the Khyber Agency had not been implemented.

The court issued the notice in the writ petition filed by Abdul Ghafoor. He had sought implementation of the recommendations of the inquiry report about illegal appointment of teachers.

During the course of hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer, Daris Khan, submitted that repeated complaints were filed against the respondent Agency Education Officer, Khyber Agency, at Jamrud from various sectors about embezzlement, irregularities and fake appointments.  He contended that an inquiry committee was constituted on the complaint of Hidayatullah, a headmaster at Government High School Mawaz Killay Bara, to probe the appointments at the Agency Education Office.

The lawyer pointed out that the inquiry committee had thoroughly inquired the matter and found irregular, fake and bogus appointments.

He submitted that Agency Education Officer was held responsible in the inquiry report for the illegal appointments but no action was taken against the officer concerned to date.

The lawyer submitted that the respondents Agency Education Officer at Jamrud had made illegal and fake appointments. He said illegally appointed teachers were still occupying the posts and receiving salaries, who required to be dismissed from the job.

It was submitted in the grounds to the petition that the respondent Agency Education Officer had illegally occupied the office.

The petitioner said it had been proved in the inquiry report that the Agency Education Officer had made bogus appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff in the Khyber Agency.  It was stated that bogus appointments of teachers had been done on fake computerised national identity cards, and those appointed were drawing salaries from the Agency Education Office.

Meanwhile, the PHC on Tuesday issued a notice to the Judge Advocate General (JAG) of Pakistan Army for not restoring an official of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

A two-member bench comprising Justice Qalandar Ali Khan and Justice Nasir Mehfooz issued the notice in a writ petition filed by one Sadaqatullah.

He was seeking his restoration in the PAF after being acquitted of the murder charge.

During the course of hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer, Khalid Rehman submitted that his client was serving as the admin assistant in the PAF and was nominated in a murder case in 2009.

He said the trial court acquitted the petitioner of the murder charge in 2016.

Khalid Rehman informed the bench that under the Pakistan Army Act, the petitioner should be restored after acquittal in a case.

The lawyer requested the court to order the restoration of the petitioner or direct the relevant quarters to issue him pension. He informed the court that under a circular issued in 1992, if a government employee was acquitted by the court then the department or institution concerned should review his case.

He said if the department concerned refused to review the case of the employee then the high court had the jurisdiction to consider it.

After hearing the arguments, the court asked the Judge Advocate General of the Pakistan Army to submit reply in the case before next hearing.