PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has suspended an eviction notice issued to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Deputy Speaker Suraiya Bibi and directed law-enforcement agencies not to arrest her.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Faheem Wali issued the written order on Thursday, October 22, following proceedings on her petition.
The court allowed Suraiya Bibi to continue occupying her government residence while the legal dispute is examined.
The judges observed that the presidential ordinance governing emergency arrangements in the province did not specifically mention the offices of the assembly speaker or deputy speaker. They also noted that the directive to vacate government residences did not refer to those constitutional offices.
Representing the deputy speaker, Advocate Yasir Khattak argued that the KP Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker Act 2026 entitled her to retain the residence throughout her term.
Suraiya Bibi also faced a criminal case under Section 406 of the Pakistan Penal Code, registered in Upper Chitral over an allegation that she had failed to return an official government vehicle. The allegation has not been established in court.
Separately, her lawyers expressed concern that authorities could detain her under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance following the imposition of governor’s rule in KP.
The provincial advocate general opposed her petition, arguing that the emergency arrangements empowered authorities to reclaim official accommodation.
The court suspended the eviction notice and granted protection against arrest while further proceedings remain pending.