PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court on Monday restrained Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company and the caretaker government from appointment of the chief executive officer of the firm.

A division bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Shakeel Ahmad of PHC heard a writ petition filed by Dr Ammer Khan Jadoon, the former CEO of the company. The petition was filed against the revocation of his appointment as the CEO of the company.

Advocate Nouman Muhib Kakakhel represented the petitioner and said that his client was appointed through proper channels including advertising the post, conducting interviews and finally approving the appointment among three candidates by the then provincial cabinet, headed by the chief minister.

However, the offer of appointment was revoked and withdrawn a week later without a proper explanation. He said that the basis for revocation was vague and the petitioner was not given an opportunity to clarify the issue before the decision was made.

The bench, after hearing the arguments, restrained the company and caretaker government from making an appointment on the vacancy of the CEO till final decision. The respondents were ordered to submit their replies before the next date of hearing.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2023