Peshawar High Court Warning
On Tuesday, the Peshawar High Court issued a warning that if the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) was not permitted to engage in political activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it would summon the caretaker chief minister of the province and the chief election commissioner to provide explanations.
Justice Ijaz Anwar, part of a two-member bench with Justice Syed M. Attique Shah, made this statement during a hearing on a petition by the PTI, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, seeking contempt proceedings against the provincial government and the administration of Mansehra district.
Justice Ijaz expressed concern about the failure to conduct polls in a free and fair manner in light of the PTI’s complaints about restrictions on its activities in the province. He questioned the justification for preventing a political party from holding a public meeting, citing the delicate security situation, and raised doubts about how the Election Commission of Pakistan would manage general elections under such circumstances.
The Attorney General, Aamir Javed, informed the court that the additional chief secretary (home) of the province, Abid Majeed, had convened a meeting of deputy commissioners from across the province to assess the security situation and formulate a coordinated plan of action for administrations regarding political activities.
CJP Isa Rules To Discontinue Adding “Sahib” To Public Servants’ Job Titles
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa issued a directive during a recent hearing, expressing his objection to the practice of adding the term “sahib” to the job titles of public servants. CJP Isa argued that this practice “unnecessarily elevates the status of public servants,” potentially fostering delusions of grandeur and a perception of unaccountability among them. The order was issued in the context of a bail plea related to a child murder case in Peshawar.
The petitioner, Javid Khan, contested the charges against him, asserting that the statements from the victim’s relatives, upon which the police case relied, lacked credibility.
