PESHAWAR, Oct 29: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday stayed the termination from service of the director-general of the Peshawar Development Authority, Farooq Azam.

The bench comprising Justice Khalida Rachied and Justice Abdur Rauf Lughmani also admitted to full hearing a writ petition filed by Mr Azam and issued notice to the NWFP government.

The petitioner said that the termination orders were issued by the secretary of the works and services department who had stated that his services were no longer required by the government.

Advocate Mohammad Ali appeared for the petitioner and argued that the termination orders were based on mala fide intentions.

The lawyer stated that his client had done his B.Sc in town planning and was employed in the Provincial Urban Development Board.

The petitioner said that after the introduction of the devolution plan, the PUDB was merged with the PDA and the surplus employees were accommodated in the newly formed city development and municipal department.

The petitioner contended that the no other employee of the PUDB and the PDA was terminated except for him which, he added, was discrimination on the part of the provincial government.