Humayun Khan
PESHAWAR: Chief Justice Peshawar High Court (PHC) Justice Qaiser Rashid ordered Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Shahzad Bangash to probe cutting of thousand years old trees and issuance of mining licenses in Chitral, on Wednesday.
The divisional of PHC comprising of Chief Justice and Justice Abdul Shakoor observed that blasting along with illegal mining had created several issues in Chitral while court aims to everything shall operate in accordance with procedure and cannot cause of exploitation of national resources.
During hearing Chief Secretary Dr. Shahzad Bangash, Advocate General Shumail Butt, Additional Advocate General Syed Sikandar Hayat Shah, secretary forests Abid Majeed and Director General Mines Muhammad Naeem appeared before court.
However, Chief Justice remarked while directing Chief Secretary inhabitants of Chitral are disturbed from blasting in the mountains because it causing land sliding while rain washout roads and ordered to look at the matter personally.
The chief secretary assured PHC that he would conduct inquiry in this regard while Chief Justice remarked that local residents must be benefitted from their resources because inhabitants of Chitral did not obtaining any benefit from mining and directed to taking of concrete steps in this regard.
Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assured that court orders should be implemented in true spirit and will be place before government while Chief Secretary argued that the court concerns are genuine and he should inquire the matter personally.
In the meantime, Chief Justice remarked that court doesn’t want to direct Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to probe the matter and ordered Chief Secretary to probe cutting of thousand years old trees and blasting in mountains of Chitral.
The divisional bench comprising of Chief Justice PHC Justice Qaiser Rashid and Justice Abdul Shakoor nominated as Special Prosecutor National Accountability Bureau Muhammad Ali as Focal Person and Deputy Director Environmental Protection Agency Mumtaz Ali in the committee. Because these two officers had fulfilled all tasks efficiently which will be also helpful for provincial government and further hearing.
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