PHC stops action against 12 Chitral Village Committees

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday restrained Anti-Corruption Establishment Department from any action against 12 Village Conservation Committees from Chitral working in the district for the conservation of the wildlife, especially Markhor and Ibex.

A division bench comprising Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim passed the interim order in a writ petition filed by presidents of 12 Village Conservation Committees from the Chitral district.

They had challenged the interference and action of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Anti-Corruption and Establishment Department in 80 percent share of the committees in the Markhor and Ibex trophy hunting permits. The committees filed the petition through its presidents, seeking the judicial order to set aside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Anti-Corruption and Establishment Department inquiry and recommendations to ban the use of their 80 percent share received through trophy hunting permits for Markhor and Ibex.

The bench issued the notice to the KP government through the secretary, Forest, Chief Conservator Wild Life Department, director, Anti-Corruption Establishment and assistant director, Crimes, Anti-Corruption Establishment in the petition.

Ghufranullah Shah, counsel for the petitioners, submitted that the Anti-Corruption Establishment Department had conducted inquiry and recommended that the 12 villages could only use the interest from their 80 percent share, which is an illegal and unjust.