PHC issues notice to PDMA, Home Dept

Ban on CAMP activities

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday issued a notice to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and secretary Home and Tribal Affairs in a writ petition against the ban on projects and activities of a non-governmental organisation in the name of security concerns.

A division bench comprising Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Younas Thaheem put on notice director general PDMA and secretary Home and Tribal Affairs, directing them to explain why non-objection certificates (NOCs) of the non-government organisation were cancelled though they were carrying out development projects including those meant for human rights and peace and security in the province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Naveed Shinwari, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Appraisal and Motivation Programme (CAMP), had filed the writ petition through his lawyer Aminur Rehman Yousafzai. He has sought an order of the court to declare the provincial government’s notification on cancellation of NOCs and imposing ban on the activities of the organisation void and direct the government to the lift ban on the projects and activities of the organization.

During the course of hearing, counsel for the petitioner submitted that the organisation had been working since 2002 with a few of the most underprivileged communities in Pakistan, responding to emergencies, improving access to quality health and education, creating livelihood opportunities and to promote human rights, peace and security in order to achieve the goal of peaceful, prosperous and progressive Pakistan.

The lawyer further submitted that respondents had entered into numerous agreements with the organisation.Astonishingly, he submitted, the PDMA without citing reasons and evidence cancelled all the NOCs granted to the organisation just in the word “security concern” through a letter issued on February 12, 2015.

The lawyer submitted that the notification and act of the respondents were illegal and unlawful. He requested the court to allow the petitioner and issue direction to restore all the NOCs of the organisation. The Ministry of Defence, secretary Interior Ministry and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government through chief secretary were also made parties in the petition.