PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Wednesday allowed a joint verification committee of police to continue its probe against a deputy superintendent of police in a controversy regarding his nationality, but stopped it from giving its final decision till next order of the court.

The bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Ikramullah Khan issued the order in a writ petition filed by DSP Nasir Khan, who has challenged the inquiry against him by the joint verification committee (JVC).

Advocate Asif Khan Yousafzai appeared for the petitioner and said that the petitioner had been serving as DSP in police department and had earlier filed a case before the services tribunal seeking his promotion. He added that the case was decided in his favour by the tribunal against which the provincial government filed an appeal before the Supreme Court.

He said that the apex court had issued notices to several police officials in the case including some junior superintendents of police after which several of the officials turned against the petitioner.

PHC bench stops committee from giving final decision till next order

Mr Yousafzai claimed that four different inquiries were conducted against the petitioner so as to prove him as an Afghan national.

He added that the petitioner was cleared in all the four inquiries. Later on, he added, a joint committee was constituted for probing the matter and the said committee also decided it in his favour.

The counsel contended that subsequently another joint committee was formed that was again probing the matter.

He said that charges against the petitioner had also affected his annual confidential report.

He said that police department had no authority to constitute a joint verification committee as under the law the said powers were vested in Nadra.

Advocate Mubarik Jan, appearing for Nadra, contended that according to their record the petitioner was Pakistani national and there was no inquiry underway against him in Nadra.

APPEAL: The bench dismissed an appeal filed by provincial government against acquittal of a former official of Pakistan Air Force by an anti-terrorism court in a case of explosion, targeting a police patrol.

Ayaz Khan, a resident of Swabi, was arrested in connection with the case registered at police station Parmoli on June 29, 2013. Police claimed that SHO Izhar Shah was on routine patrol when a roadside explosive device went of resulting in injuries to some policemen.

The suspect, who was arrested in connection with another case, was subsequently also charged in instant case and police claimed that he was having links with a banned outfit.

Advocate Mohammad Saeed Khan appeared for the suspect and contended that the anti-terrorism court in Mardan had acquitted him on Feb 28, 2015, as prosecution could not prove its case.

He added that prosecution had failed to produce any evidence that could connect the suspect with the commission of the offence.

Published in Dawn December 22nd, 2016