PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Thursday summoned the planning and development secretary on July 11 for explanation on the removal of a multimillion rupees development scheme for a Peshawar from the Annual Development Programme 2015-16 despite the government`s approval.

Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Abdul Shakoor fixed July 11 for the next hearing into a petition filed MPA Ziaullah Afridi against the dropping of the scheme, and asked the planning and development secretary to appear before the court for explaining the department`s position on the matter.

The bench observed that it was regretful that the government had again failed to respond to the queryputbythe courtinthecase.

It warned that it would be thelast opportunity for the government to explain why the developmental scheme was dropped.

Additional advocate general Waqar Ahmad told the court that the secretaries of local government and planning and development departments had submitted their replies but there were some contradictions in it.

He requested the court to give him time to file a better statement on behalf of the government.

The petitioner`s lawyer, Shumail Ahmad Butt, contended that the government had been using delaying tactics in filing a clear explanation on the matter.

The bench observed that it would be appropriate for the P&D secretary to appear in person to explain the situation.

The petitioner has requested the court to declare the dropping of an ADP scheme titled `Integrated Development Package for Mahal Terai and surrounding areas of Peshawar` from the ADP 2015-16 and 2016-17 as illegal and unconstitutional.

The petitioner said the respondents including the provincial government were bound to allow funds for the said project and work may be initiated in its true letter and spirit.He claimed that the chief minister without having any authority dropped the said ADP scheme with a single stroke of the pen through an executive order during a `so-called` mid-year review meetingonJune10,2016.

The respondents in the petition are the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government through planning and development secretary, the chief minister through his principal secretary, the local government secretary, Peshawar Town I nazim, and town municipal officer Town L The petitioner was a PTI leader and was elected as MPA from PK-I Peshawar in the 2013 general elections. Later, he was made first a special assistant to the chief minister and subsequently a mines and mineral development minister.

The petitioner claimed that he was implicated in a false case by the KP Ehtesab Commission at the behest of some leaders as he was perceived as a potential threat due to his growing popularity.

He was expelled from the PTI by the central leadership after he accused some leaders of framing him in false cases.

Advocate Shumail Butt said for the betterment of the inhabitantsof the petitioner`s constituency PK-1, his client had perceived the said developmental scheme.

He added that the scheme was part of the provincial budget as ADP Scheme No 782 in 2015-16 and was passed by a definite majority of the provincial assembly`s elected members as per the provisions of the Constitution.

The lawyer said the ADP scheme consisted of a number of pro-poor social service delivery activities comprising roads, sanitation projects, water supply schemes, school buildings, rehabilitation of streets and roads, which were in deplorable conditions and other services to be identified by the representatives of the said area.

He claimed that for the consultancy of the said project, Rs27.9 million was approved and Rs3.6 million had been paid to the Engineering Architecture Consultants for start of work on the feasibility and designing etc.

The lawyer added that the consultant after feasibility study submitted PC-I, which included water supply, sanitation, roads and filtration plants at the cost of Rs970 million, which was the need of day for the inhabitants of Peshawar.