PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has stayed the transfer of two senior officials of the Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI), Peshawar, and sought comments from the provincial chief secretary and the secretary environment in this regard.

A bench comprising Justice Qaiser Rahseed and Justice Asadullah Khan Chamkani adjourned hearing in the two writ petitions filed by the two officials in BPS-18, Dr Memoona Wali Mohammad and Mohammad Atif Majeed, after preliminary arguments of their counsels and fixed Dec 10 for the next hearing.

Advocate Ijaz Anwer appeared for Dr Memoona and contended that she was the first female who did her PhD in forestry in Pakistanandhad been servinginPFIforthe last 23 years as forestry lecturer.

He added that a few days ago the PFI director general placed her services at the disposal of the provincial secretary environment, in an illegal manner.

The counsel stated that the petitioner was appointed in PFI and she was its employee, therefore, she could not be transferred outside the institute.

He pointed out that the appointment of the present DG had already been declared illegal by the high court and the said judgment was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Advocate Qaiser Khan appeared for the second petitioner, Mohammad Atif Majeed, and contended that the petitioner had been serving as deputy director (technical) at PFI and he was also transferred by the DG and his services placed at the disposal of the secretary forest.

BAIL DISMISSED: A singlebench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth dismissed a bail peti-tion of an employee of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on the charges of tampering with consumption meters of CNG stations in different cities.

The bench ruled that the petitioner, Mohammad Babar Hashmi, did not deserve the concession of bail keeping in view evidence on record.

A standing counsel of the federal government, FM Sabir, argued that the petitioner was arrested by FIA after thorough inquiry and investigation.

He alleged that the petitioner use d to visit different cities, including Peshawar and Lahore, to tamper with consumption meters at scores of CNG stations so that they should receive less natural gas bills compared to the actual consumption.

The counselalsoalleged thatthe petitioner used to provide money to other officials of his department and in that regard the FIA had been probing the issue.