PHC issues contempt notice to Petroleum secretary

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has issued contempt of court notice to the Petroleum secretary and directed him to personally appear in the court on the next hearing scheduled for January 16.

A division bench of the PHC comprising Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Ahmad Ali was hearing a case filed by MPA from PK-55 Mardan Jamshed Khan. Justice Musarrat Hilali remarked that government officers were not appearing in the courts and that was why the decisions could not be implemented.

She expressed anger over the bureaucrats who did not appear before the court in important cases, including contempt of court cases. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Jamshed Khan moved the court against stopping various development schemes, including a gas project, in his constituency. The counsel for the petitioner told the court that the PHC had directed the quarters concerned on May 16 to provide funds for the project within one month but no progress was made in the case. The petitioner told the court that federal Minister of State Ali Mohammad Khan was the MNA from the area who was using his influence to delay the developmental projects in his area.

Meanwhile, the same bench in another case directed the federal government and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) to submit their comments for charging higher rates of gas than the approved ones.

The industrialists of Gadoon Amazai have moved the court against an increase in the gas tariff from the price already approved by the Ogra. The court after hearing arguments directed the government and Ogra authorities to submit a reply on the next hearing. Another bench of the apex court acquitted three accused held for attacking policemen in Nowshera Kalan. One policeman was martyred and another injured in the attack in March 2019. An anti-terrorism court had awarded life-term to three accused Aslam, Fayyaz and Naseem. The convicts had moved the PHC against the sentence. A division bench of the PHC comprising Justice Roohul Amin and Justice Nasir Mahfooz after hearing arguments acquitted the accused for lack of evidence.