PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Friday expressed displeasure with the unavailability of drinking water at the Peshawar Special Education Complex, Hayatabad, and directed the Peshawar Development Authority to supply water to the facility by three bowsers daily.

Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan and Justice Mohammad Ayub Khan issued notices to the provincial chief secretary, Peshawar district nazim and Peshawar Development Authority director general seeking their response to the petition filed by the father of a special child and adjourned hearing.

Petitioner Attaullah Khan said his son was enrolled in the Special Education Complex, while he was the president of the Parents Teachers Association of the complex.

The bench observed that students with disabilities needed special care and facilities and that it was callous on part of the relevant authorities to overlook a grave problem facing them at the complex.

Mohammad Khursheed Khan, lawyer for the petitioner, said the Special Education Complex and Women Crisis Centre situated on the same premises faced acute water shortage.

He said in the Oct 6 PTA meeting, his client learned that the complex had repeatedly requested the relevant authorities for water supply since 2015, but to no avail.

The lawyer said the complex was spread over 32 kanals with around 600 students enrolled in classes from nursery to matriculation.

He added that the complex’s hospital had around 50 students.

Mr Khursheed said the same premises had the Women Crisis Centre, where 60 women lived with children.

He said in the past, the complex employees had collected donations to sink a tubewell for water supply but the tubewell had dried up and needed further digging for the resumption of water supply.

The lawyer said the complex officials had requested the PDA on a daily basis for water supply by bowsers.

He added that the special children enrolled in the complex included both physically and mentally challenged students.

SALARIES ATTACHED: A high court bench headed by Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth has ordered the attachment of the salaries of the Federal Investigation Agency director general and regional director over failure to file comments on a petition despite issuance of repeated notices.

The bench issued the order while hearing the petition of Zeeshan Khan, whose father inspector Hukam Khan, a decorated official of the provincial bomb disposal unit, had died while defusing a bomb in Peshawar on Sept 28, 2012.

The petitioner requested the court to order the FIA to provide him with employment in line with the announcement made by the federal government after his father’s death.

His counsel said the then interior minister had announced Sitara-i-Shujaat for Hukam Khan and FIA job for his son.

He said despite the petitioners’ request, the relevant authorities didn’t give him job.

The lawyer said the court had sought comments from the FIA DG and its regional director but the same had yet to be filed.

The bench ordered the attachment of the salary of both officers until further orders.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2018