PHC directs DC Peshawar to acquire land for crematorium

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday directed deputy commissioner Peshawar and Auqaf Department to initiate legal procedure for acquiring land for Shamshan Ghat or crematorium immediately and submit report within a month time.

A division bench comprising Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Nasir Mehfooz issued the direction after a representative of Peshawar DC office informed the bench that five kanal land for Shamshan Ghat and graveyard of Christian community members had been identified at Shahabkhel area on the Kohat Road.

Justice Qaiser Rashid observed that it was fundamental right of the minority and work on this should be completed before the next hearing under the law. However, Sabahuddin Khattak, legal advisor to Town-1 nazim, submitted that the nazim had not received funds for purchasing ambulance for transportation of the body of Sikhs to Shamshan Ghat.

The bench issued direction in a writ petition filed by Sikh community through Baba Gurpal Singh, Peshawar Sikh community head, seeking an order to direct the government to provide land for Shamshan Ghat or cremation ground where they could cremate the dead.

During hearing, Khurshid Khan, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had allocated funds for establishment of Shamshan Ghat and ambulance for carrying the body, but the deputy commissioner and Department of Auqaf and Religious Affairs were employing delaying tactics in utilisation of these funds for establishment of Shamshan Ghat.

He submitted that the funds for Shamshan Ghat and vehicle had been transferred to the deputy commissioner, but no practical steps had been taken so far for execution of this important project for the Sikh and Hindu communities.