MANSEHRA: The Peshawar High Court’s Abbottabad bench on Thursday issued a stay order suspending the proposed appointment of police constables in Mansehra.

The bench consisting of Justice Lal Jan Khattak and Nasir Mehfooz issued notices to the provincial inspector general of police, Hazara division’s deputy inspector general of police, and Mansehra’s district police officer seeking comments on the petition within a fortnight.

Lawyer Munir Hussain Lughmani filed the petition on behalf of a group of people seeking appointment for qualifying for the constable posts last Nov.

“We, 23 petitioners, want our appointments on the 78 posts advertised by the police department for Mansehra recently as we’d qualified for these posts in test and interviews held in November last year,” Mubashir Ahmad, one of petitioners, told reporters.

He said he and others had passed the examination conducted by the Education Testing and Evaluation Agency but they were dropped in the name of the seats shortage.

“Now, those posts have been advertised again though we’ve qualified for them. We should be accommodated on the constable seats, while the rest should be filled by the police department through the ETEA,” he said.

SPRING FESTIVAL: The spring festival organised by an educational institution attracted students from across Hazara division in large numbers here on Thursday.

“We usually don’t have events, which help us meet friends and teachers. This festival has provided us with an opportunity to get together in pleasant weather,” Uroba, a student of physical therapy, said.

The Helping Hand Institution of Rehabilitation Science organised the festival, where scores of students from Abbottabad and Mansehra showed up.

The girl students thronged the stalls of traditional outfits, bangles, books and food. A painting exhibition was also held.

“I have exhibited my calligraphic, pottery and wood work. The visitors are showing keen interest in them,”Kubra Khan said. District councillor Uzma Waheed visited the festival along with family and said it was a great recreational event for women.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2019