PESHAWAR, Oct 20: A two-judge bench of the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday dismissed two writ petitions challenging the removal of an additional and a deputy advocate-general by the provincial government after the petitioners withdrew their petitions.

The petitioners' counsel informed the bench comprising Justice Ijaz Afzal and Justice Dost Mohammad Khan that they had decided to withdraw the petitions.

The petitions were filed by former additional advocate-general Mussarat Hillali, and deputy advocate-general Shaukat Hayat Khakwani, stating that the notification through which they were removed was issued without the consent of the governor. They stated that they could not be removed without the approval of the governor.

On Oct 5, the NWFP government had produced the approval given by the governor for the notification.

The government had relieved three additional and five deputy advocates-general of their duties through a notification on March 6 and appointed 10 law officers. Most of those appointed are believed to be members of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

The petitioners had stated that the appointing authority of an advocate-general was the governor and only he could remove the officials. Ms Hillali stated that the additional advocate-general worked in the same capacity as the advocate-general and the procedure for their appointment and removal was the same.