MANSEHRA: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Service Tribunal on Saturday summoned the health secretary and other officials of the department along with the additional assistant commissioner of Mansehra district over a petition seeking contempt proceedings against them in the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital medical superintendent transfer case.

Tribunal chairman Sultan Ahmad Tareen served notices on the respondents, including health secretary, director-general (health services), the relevant section officer of the health department and the additional assistant commissioner of Mansehra, directing them to appear before it on Oct 4 to argue against the maintainability of the contempt application.

Junaid Anwar Khan, lawyer for former MS of the hospital Dr Shahzad Ali Khan, sought contempt proceedings against the respondents accusing them of defying the tribunal’s orders to cancel his client’s transfer orders.

The health secretary had issued an order on Sept 22 suspending Dr Shahzad for not relinquishing the charge of the Kath’s top office despite the department’s orders. He also formed a high-level committee led by Staff and Training Institute Peshawar director Asghar Ali to probe the matter and submit report.

A police contingent accompanied newly-appointed MS Dr Mohammad Tariq to his office to ensure he assumes the charge. The police were also deployed there and outside other offices to prevent trouble.

YOUTH ASSEMBLY: The Mansehra District Youth National Assembly has passed a resolution demanding of the political and religious parties to field the maximum number of youngsters without gender discrimination for the upcoming local body elections in the province.

“Unfortunately, the parties don’t award election tickets to young men and women in Hazara division, including Mansehra district. This practice should change,” president of the youth assembly Qazi Tayyab Tanoli told a session here on Saturday.

Convener of the assembly Adil Zaman chaired the event. Mr Tanoli said if the youth were provided with opportunities, they could steer the country out of the current crises.

He said the youth assembly would hold sessions in other parts of the province.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2021