PESHAWAR: Justice delayed is justice denied. Two years after knocking at the doors of justice, a BPS-22 ofhcer hung up his boots on Monday, waiting for the justices to address his grievances and get those responsible for clipping his wings to respond to his pleas.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly secretary Amanullah Khan, administrative head of the constitutional body, approached the Peshawar High Court around two years ago when Speaker Asad Qaisar delegated his (Amanullah`s) administrative and financial powers to his juniorin Sept2015.

The secretary got retirement but his case is still pending in the court.

The PHC had issued four reminders to the respondents to file comments but they were apparently ignored.

In the last reminder issued to the respondents on March 7, 2017, the two-member bench stated, `Vide order dated 19.4,2016, respondents No. 1 (speaker) and 2 (special secretary) were directed to file com-ments within fortnight days but till date, they have failed to ñle the same.

The speaker had clipped the powers of the secretary when the later opposed the creation of new posts, fresh appointments and sending lawmakers to the United Kingdom for training and learning parliamentary decorum.

The assembly signed a memorandum of understanding with the British Council and sent lawmakers to England and Scotland for weeklong training on the taxpayers` expenses.

Through an order, the speaker had issued an order saying the secretary would look af ter the matters related to legislation and meetings of the public accounts committee.

The rest of powers, financial and administrative, were delegated to the specialsecretary, a post speciñcally created for the purpose.

`In anticipation of the approval by the relevant finance committee, the speaker is pleased to upgrade and re-designate the post held by Nasrullah Khan Khattak, additional secretary (administration), from BPS-19 to the post of secretary (administration, finance, and accounts) in BPS-20 and is promoted against the said post,` said a notiñcationissuedin 2015.

`This is a unique experiment in the parliamentary history of the countrythatthe speakerbifurcatedments within fortnight days but till date, they have failed to ñle the same.

The speaker had clipped the powers of the secretary when the later opposed the creation of new posts, fresh appointments and sending lawmakers to the United Kingdom for training and learning parliamentary decorum.

The assembly signed a memorandum of understanding with the British Council and sent lawmakers to England and Scotland for weeklong training on the taxpayers` expenses.

Through an order, the speaker had issued an order saying the secretary would look af ter the matters related to legislation and meetings of the public accounts committee.

The rest of powers, financial and administrative, were delegated to the specialsecretary, a post speciñcally created for the purpose.

`In anticipation of the approval by the relevant finance committee, the speaker is pleased to upgrade and re-designate the post held by Nasrullah Khan Khattak, additional secretary (administration), from BPS-19 to the post of secretary (administration, finance, and accounts) in BPS-20 and is promoted against the said post,` said a notiñcationissuedin 2015.

`This is a unique experiment in the parliamentary history of the countrythatthe speakerbifurcatedpowers of the secretary and delegated his (secretary) key functions to special secretary,` remarked Am anullah Khan, who had assumed the charge of his of fice in 2010.

He claimed that the speaker had used his powers arbitrarily by clipping his powers and delegating them to another of ficer.

In the petition, the former secretary pleaded that the speaker had issued notifications in violation of the law and rules with arbitrary exercise of powers. He added that he was not treated in accordance with the law and that his rights secured and guaranteed under the law and Constitution had been violated.

After superannuation of Amanullah Khan, there are three senior officials in the race for the post of the secretary of the provincial assembly.

However, the question rises whether the formula of bifurcation of the secretary`s power would apply to the new of ficeholder.

Sources said additional secretary Kifayatullah Afridi, special secretary (admin, finance and accounts) Nasrullah Khan Khattak and special secretary Attaullah Khan are in the raceforthe postofthe secretary.

They said Mr Afridi was the most senior among the three of ficers and that seniority mattered in the elevation to the post of secretary.