PESHAWAR: A lawyer has field a contempt petition with the Peshawar High Court against several government officials for ‘not implementing the judgments of superior courts about regulating the movement of motorcycle-rickshaws (Qingqi) in the province.

       Petitioner Aitzazul Haque has requested the high court to proceed under the contempt laws against eight of the respondents, including provincial chief secretary, its inspector general of police, the IG of National Highway and Motorway Police, provincial secretaries of home, excise and taxation and transport departments, and others, and award them punishment for not implementing the judgments delivered by it and Supreme Court.

       He also sought orders for the prime minister and provincial chief minister through their respective secretaries to initiate disciplinary proceedings under the Efficiency and Disciplinary Rules against the relevant eight officers.

       The petitioner requested the court to direct the respondents to implement those judgments in letter and spirit.

       The petitioner, whose lawyer is Syed Azizuddin Kakakhel, said the high court had passed a judgment on May 17, 2018, in accordance with an earlier judgment of the Supreme Court, which was reported in 2017 under the title, Association for the Welfare of Owners and Staff of Qingqi Rickshaws Sindh and another versus Province of Sindh.

       He said the Supreme Court, in the said judgment, had declared: “That all provincial transport authorities of the four provinces of country shall ensure plying of only those Qingqi rickshaws, which are constructed and manufactured by duly registered and authorized constructors and manufacturers, according to the legally approved design, specifications and standards ensuring safety and convenience of not only the driver but also of its passengers.

       “That all such Qingqi Rickshaws shall obtain certificate of fitness so also certificate of road worthiness from the concerned authorities which shall be displayed on each of the Qingqi Rickshaws prior to their plying on the roads.”

       The petitioner said the court had ordered the registration of motorcycle-rickshaws with the excise and taxation department and display of registration numbers by them.

       The court had also declared that the seating capacity of such registered rickshaws should not be more than four passengers, excluding the driver.

       The petitioner pointed out that the Supreme Court had ordered that if any of the Qingqi rickshaws was found to be plying on roads without fulfilling those conditions, the official or officials of the relevant departments should be proceeded against not only departmentally but also on criminal side.

       He added that the respondents weren’t implementing those judgments in letter and spirit and so, they were liable to be proceeded against and prosecuted under Article 204 of the Constitution read with contempt of court laws as both judgments were binding for them.

       Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2021