ABBOTTABAD: Peshawar High Court, Abbottabad Bench, has admitted a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the governance, financial management and implementation of Phase-II of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project (KPCIP), a major foreign-funded urban development initiative.

A division bench comprising Justice Faheem Wali and Justice Aurangzeb issued notices to the federal and provincial governments, KPCIP and other respondents, directing them to submit para-wise comments.

The petition alleged prolonged administrative lapses, including the absence of a full-time project director for over a year, repeated additional-charge appointments, abandoned recruitment processes for key management posts, governance failures, financial irregularities and implementation delays.

The petition asked the court to ensure transparent governance, merit-based appointments, stronger financial oversight and effective project management.

It also questioned project planning in Abbottabad, particularly increased spending on the Sherwan National Park infrastructure project while the city’s drainage needs remained unresolved.

The petition highlighted delays in the solid waste management component, warning that slow implementation could expose the province to additional financial liabilities through commitment charges on unused international loans.

The case will proceed after respondents submit their replies.

ELECTRIC SUPPLY RESTORED: Hazara Electric Supply Company (HAZECO) chief executive officer Qazi Mohammad Tahir has said the company has restored electricity to almost all affected consumers after a rainstorm hit Hazara division on July 1.

Speaking to the media on Friday, he said the severe weather damaged power lines and caused outages in Abbottabad, Haripur, Havelian and nearby areas.

He said that HAZECO immediately launched an emergency operation and deployed repair teams to restore electricity.

According to him, most affected 11kV feeders were restored within a few hours. The worst-hit Kehal feeder resumed supply after 19 hours, the REPCO feeder after 18 hours, and the Link feeder after 16 hours, restoring electricity to about 90 per cent of consumers. Most other feeders were restored within 30 minutes to six hours.

He said the storm damaged 87 high-tension, 20 low-tension poles, insulators, steel pins, D-brackets and thousands of metres of power conductors, especially in Abbottabad and Haripur.

Qazi Tahir said repair work continued at a few locations where major reconstruction was still required.

MONSOON PLAN: The Cantonment Board Abbottabad said that its monsoon contingency plan enabled an effective response to the July 1 torrential rains, preventing any loss of life despite widespread water-logging, localised flooding, uprooted trees and collapsed boundary walls.

According to a statement, emergency teams, heavy machinery, dewatering pumps and other resources had been pre-positioned after extensive pre-monsoon preparations, including desilting of drains and nullahs.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2026