PHC extends stay on ADP funds
The Peshawar High Court has extended the stay order until May 14 in a petition filed by opposition members of the provincial assembly challenging the inclusion of block and umbrella schemes in the Annual Development Program (ADP) by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government.
The court cautioned that if the petitioner's lawyer fails to appear at the next hearing, the stay order will be lifted. A two-member bench, comprising Justice Naeem Anwar and Justice Kamran Hayat, presided over the proceedings.
The petitioner's counsel informed the court that a new lawyer had been appointed, who was currently unavailable due to prior professional commitments, and sought an adjournment.
Additional Attorney General Muhammad Adnan noted that the stay order, in place since October 2, 2024, has halted the release of funds for various development projects. Justice Naeem Anwar remarked that the court intends to conclude the hearing on the next date and warned that in the absence of the petitioner's lawyer, the stay order would be vacated.
The petition was filed by opposition leader Dr. Ibad, along with 19 other MPAs, including Arbab Muhammad Wasim, Ahmad Kundi, Arbab Muhammad Usman, Karamatullah Khan, Ehsanullah Khan, and Muhammad Iqbal Khan.
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