Non-compliance with judgment: PHC indicts KP Workers Welfare Board officials

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Wednesday indicted chairman and secretary of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Workers Welfare Board for non-compliance with the court judgment to appoint principals of 23 schools within one month.

A division bench comprising Justice Roohul Amin Khan and Justice Qalandar Ali Khan framed charges against Dr Bilal, Secretary, and Zakaullah Khattak, chairman, Workers Welfare Board, for non-compliance with the court orders about the appointment of principals in 23 schools under the WWB. The bench after framing the charges against the officials transferred the case to Bench No 1 of the Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth.

During the hearing, Justice Roohul Amin observed that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had ordered the officials to complete the appointment of the principals in the schools within one month. He said three months had passed but they were still sleeping over the court order. The court passed the order in contempt of court case, filed by candidates who had topped the NTS test for the posts of principals, but the officials concerned failed to appoint them even after the PHC and SC verdicts. Taking notice of the contempt of court by the officials, the bench summoned the officials for framing charges in the contempt of court case. The officials appeared before the bench and submitted that it was a lengthy process and would take time. The WWB legal advisor also requested the court to give them another chance for completion of the appointment process. However, the court turned down the request and framed charges against the officials after getting consent from Advocate General KP, Abdul Latif Yousafzai.