PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday said it had absorbed a fisheries department officer into the Provincial Management Service (PMS) with immediate effect.

The absorption of Shaukat Ali Youasfzai, a BS-19 officer of the fisheries directorate, was ordered by the Peshawar High Court in 2014.

A statement issued here said that in pursuance of PHC judgment dated August 19, 2014, the KP government had ordered absorption of Mr Yousafzai, additional secretary agriculture department, into PMS in BS-19 with immediate effect.

It said the terms and conditions of his service would be governed under Civil Servant Act, 1973 and rules made thereunder.

Mr Youafzai had earlier asked the PHC to absorb him in PMS due to his services rendered as DCO Swat during height of insurgency from 2007 to 2009.

He had pleaded that the government had previously absorbed several people in the PMS in the past and that he too should be provided with the same treatment keeping in view his services.

The KP government had challenged the PHC decision in the Supreme Court which turned down the government’s plea and its subsequent review plea.

Mr Yousafzai later approached the PHC with a contempt of court petition against the provincial government for not following the court order.

However, the government on March 28, a day before hearing into the contempt case, informed the high court bench that it had absorbed Mr Yousafzai in PMS.

Meanwhile, PMS officers association coordinator Fahd Ikram Qazi said they were principally opposed to Mr Yousafzai’s induction into the ranks of the PMS.

He said the decision was mockery of the civil service and they would protest against it.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2018