PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday directed the provincial government to inform it within 15 days about the installation of digital vehicle scanners for detecting explosives on several entry points to the provincial capital.

A bench comprising Justice Mian Fasihul Mulk and Justice Qaiser Rasheed, which had earlier ordered the installation of the said scanners, observed that money was not precious than human lives and irrespective of whatever cost would be incurred on installation of the scanners, the government should make arrangements for it.

The bench was hearing a writ petition filed by former secretary general of Peshawar High Court Bar Association Mohammad Essa Khan, who said the continuous barricading of roads especially in the Cantonment area on the name of security measures had turned the life of people miserable.

He said police had closed down several U-turns on major roads and motorists had to cover a long distance for the turn.

The bench fixed Feb 11 for next hearing with the direction to Additional Advocate General Mian Arshad Jan that the entire development regarding installation of digital scanners should be submitted to the court.

Earlier, Mian Arshad Jan told the court that the provincial government had constituted a committee for complying with the earlier order of the court about installation of scanners on entry points to the city.

He said the chief minister had been taking keen interest in the issue and had himself been supervising it. The additional advocate general sought time from the bench stating that he had no exact knowledge about the latest situation in this regard.

Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Iqbal Mohmand, appeared for federal government and contended that last year a bench headed by Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan had directed the provincial government to install the explosives detecting scanners, and in this regard a committee headed by the chief secretary had been looking into the issue.

He said he had come to know that as huge cost around Rs1 billion would be incurred on it therefore the installation had been delayed.

On behalf of Peshawar station commander, Colonel Imran appeared and stated that whatever orders the court issued they would comply by it. He added that they had already removed barricades from some of the roads. He pointed out that if the provincial government installed scanners then they would be in a position to further reduce the barricades on roads as presently due to precarious security situation they had to set up checkposts on roads.

Justice Mian Fasihul Mulk observed that the government should not hesitate in installation of explosives detecting scanners because of the reason that it would incur big cost as money was not precious than human lives.

Justice Qaiser Rasheed also observed that checkposts on different busty roads had turned into headache for the citizens as they had to wait in long queues.

He observed that the attitude of officials deputed on checkposts was also not cordial towards the people.

The judge added that the officials should improve their attitude which would help in growing cooperation of the citizens with the officials on the checkposts.

The petitioner has claimed that there were around 126 checkpoints in the provincial capital.

He said on the pretext of security measures the local police had placed cement blocks in the middle of different roads and set up security checkpoints.

The petitioner said several link roads in Peshawar Cantonment had already been closed.