PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has decided to club all the petitions filed byformer membersof the public sector Pakistan Qaumi Razakar Organisation against their removal from service by the police department.

A bench consisting of Justice Roohul Amin Khan Chamkani and Justice Mohammad Nasir Mehfooz took the decision during the hearing into a petition of around 290 members of the organisation, including Ajmal Khan and others, who sought orders for their reinstatement.

The petitioners also urged the court to direct the government to release the outstanding amount for their salary and allowances for the duty they performed during Covid-19 pandemic and other related activities.

The respondents in the petition include the provincial police chief, Peshawar capital city police officer, provincial DIG (operations), Peshawar SSP (operations), chief secretary and Peshawar’s deputy commissioner.

The petitioners have challenged two impugned notifications issued on June 22 and Sept 15, 2020.

Ex-members of organisation also sought payments for Covid, other duties

Advocate Abbas Khan Sangeen appeared for the petitioners and said some other petitions of identical nature were also pending with the high court.

The bench observed that it would be appropriate to club all those petitions.

The date for next hearing will be fixed later.

The counsel said the petitioners were appointed to the Pakistan Qaumi Razakar Organisation by the government from time to time under the PQR Ordinance, 1965, and West Pakistan Qaumi Razakars Rules, 1966.

He said the petitioners were removed after the service of many years by the DIG (operations) and SSP (operations) without assigning any reason.

The lawyer said his clients requested the authorities to reconsider the decision, but to no avail.

He insisted that the orders were illegal and arbitrary in nature, so they’re not tenable under the law.

The counsel contended that the PQRO was run under the PQR Ordinance, 1965, and PQR Rules, 1966, which declared that the constitution and other related affairs such as dismissal etc is the domain of the deputy commissioner of the relevant district.

He, however, said in the present case, the DIG and SSP had exercised the powers, which were not vested in them, so they had violated the law.

He said the law declared that the Qaumi Razakars should perform such duties in connection with the maintenance of law and order, public security and natural calamities as may be prescribed.

The lawyer said the petitioners belonged to poor families and were set to cross the age limit required for recruitment elsewhere.

He claimed that his clients had served the organisation with utmost capabilities to the satisfaction of the relevant authorities, which appreciated them from time to time.

The counsel added that his clients were not treated in a fair manner, which was a violation of Article 10-A of the Constitution.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2021