KOHAT: The Kohat divisional consumers’ court has so far received 128 complaints against different government entities after it started formal functioning. The court presided over by Hafiz Naseem Akber, a district and sessions judge, who was relieved by Peshawar High Court in Nov 2014 for joining this new assignment, has been started on makeshift basis and is likely to get furniture, telephone and other facilities soon.

The complaints mostly received by the consumers’ court are related to Pesco, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) and other government departments.

The court has been temporarily established in the district administrator’s office. Fayyaz Khan has also taken charge as registrar of the court.

The judge Mr Naseem told journalists that the consumers’ court would deal with complaints about prices of various commodities including edibles, services standard, government offices, officials and also solve public disputes.

He said that the court jurisdiction would only be restricted to Kohat, Hangu and Karak where courts would be held from time to time to hear and solve the public problems with permanent seat in Kohat.

Prior to the setting up of exclusive consumers’ court, the high court had in 2005 assigned additional powers of consumer court to the respective district and sessions judges (DSJs). Last year, the provincial government ordered setting up of seven exclusive consumers’ courts in the divisional headquarters.

Meanwhile, an official at the district courts told Dawn that two similar posts in the district would cause a lot of confusion among the people.

AFGHANS: The administration of Hangu district has decided to restrict all the cardholder Afghan refugees to Khasari camp and close down all other camps.

Hangu Deputy Commissioner Naeem Anwar Sadozai told a meeting at his office that no illegal Afghan refugee should be allowed to live outside Khasarai camp. Besides other administrative officials, the meeting was also attended by Badshah Khan Paracha, the divisional administrator of Afghan refugees, who was in Hangu for making final preparations for shifting of Afghan refugees to the proposed camp and deportation of illegal refugees.

Mr Badshah Khan told Dawn that the illegal Afghan refugees were given three-day time till February 6, 2015 to leave the country which was later extended by the commissioner Kohat division for two weeks.

The refugees had sought extra time for selling their properties, agricultural land, winding up their businesses and money dealings with the local people.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2015

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