PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday ordered the appointment of the widow of a senior civil judge in Peshawar to a BPS-11 post in the district judiciary on the quota for such women.

A bench consisting of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Wiqar Ahmad issued the order in a petition filed by Zainab Kiyani, who is the wife of senior civil judge Seemab Waheed Siddiqui, who died of coronavirus while serving as a judge on duty in 2021.

Nouman Muhib Kakakhel, lawyer for the petitioner, argued that under the law, her client could claim appointment to the posts between BPS-5 and BPS-12 in the district judiciary subject to her qualification for it and her social status.

He added that there was a BPS-11 vacancy but still, she was offered clerical positions in an act that was illegal, so the interference of the court was required.

The counsel argued that the petitioner was entitled to appointment on the basis of her qualification on the best suited vacancy in the district judiciary by the registrar of the high court.

The bench asked the superintendent of the district judiciary about vacancies. He informed the court about the available BPS-11 vacancy.

After hearing the arguments of the counsel for petitioner, it ordered the superintendent of district judiciary to offer her the vacant position of BPS-11 in accordance with the law.

The petitioner had said that her husband had lost in the line of duty while serving in Buner district.

The petitioner contended that like medical workers, judicial officers risked their lives to serve the people amid the coronavirus pandemic.

She wondered when health professionals were provided with compensation, why it should be denied to the judicial officers, who selflessly performed their duties during the pandemic.

The petitioner said that her husband got the infection during posting to Buner despite being a resident of Peshawar and died in July 2021.

She said that her husband’s death caused serious financial problems for her and her two minor children.

The petitioner requested the court to order the provincial government to provide her with a job in the pay scale of her husband or in accordance with her educational qualification.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2024