PHC moved to remove Jhagra as KP governor

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) was moved on Friday against the appointment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz central general secretary because the petitioner claimed that being holder of public office he cannot hold a political seat.

Senior Peshawar lawyer, Muhammad Khurshid Khan, challenged the appointment of the Governor in the high court. In the three-page writ petition, the lawyer submitted that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz recently appointed Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra as the party's central general secretary.

"The governor assumed the charge as party's general secretary and commenced running the party affairs too," the petitioner claimed. He submitted that the governor being a representative of the federal government was getting salary, perks and privileges. He argued that under the law the Governor cannot hold an office of a political party and run its affairs. "Under Political Parties Order 2002 and Constitution of Pakistan, the holders of elected public offices shall not hold any political party office or where a holder of an elected public office was already holding a party position," the petitioner pointed out. He submitted that being the holder of a public office, the governor had started running the party affairs in violation of the law and Constitution.