The Peshawar High Court has intervened in a major administrative dispute by stopping the provincial and federal authorities from making further deductions from the salaries of government officials accused of illegally receiving Benazir Income Support Programme payments. A two member bench consisting of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Inamullah Khan issued the stay order during a hearing on Wednesday. The court was acting on petitions filed by various government employees who claimed that the recovery process initiated against them was both excessive and procedurally flawed.
During the proceedings the legal counsels representing the petitioners highlighted that their clients were regular government employees whose family members had historically received financial assistance through the social safety net program. They argued that the government had recently started a recovery drive characterized by significant deductions from their monthly paychecks. These deductions according to the lawyers have placed a severe financial burden on the affected staff particularly those belonging to Class IV categories who already struggle with limited disposable income amidst rising costs of living.
Justice Ijaz Anwar raised pointed questions regarding the scope and fairness of the recovery operation. He remarked that it was not only lower level staff but also high ranking officers including those in Grade 20 who had reportedly benefited from BISP disbursements. The judge questioned why the government was focusing solely on financial recovery through salary cuts rather than initiating formal departmental proceedings or inquiries against those who may have provided false information to access the funds. He further noted that similar inquiries had been conducted in the past against members of the district judiciary and other departments.
Providing a perspective from the program’s administration Assistant Director for Legal Affairs Jamal Abdul Nasir informed the court that the recovery process was being applied across the board. He stated that the authorities were seeking funds back from every government employee identified as a recipient including individuals working within the Benazir Income Support Programme itself. This suggests that the scope of the alleged irregularities is wide reaching and has permeated multiple layers of the public sector hierarchy over several years.
The court expressed a need for greater transparency regarding how the program is governed and who is legally entitled to its benefits. Justice Ijaz Anwar directed the relevant authorities to submit a comprehensive written response that includes the full criteria for eligibility as defined by the program. The court has specifically requested details on any changes made to these criteria over time to determine whether the employees or their families were in fact ineligible at the time the payments were received. This information is considered crucial for deciding the legality of the current recovery drive.
As the legal battle continues the stay on salary deductions provides temporary relief to thousands of government workers across the province. The case highlights the ongoing challenges of targeting social welfare programs in a country where data integration between different government departments is still evolving. The Peshawar High Court’s final decision is expected to set a significant precedent for how the state handles the recovery of misallocated welfare funds from its own employees and whether administrative punishments will follow the financial clawbacks.
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