KARACHI: A Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate and other officials have been issued notices for allegedly burning the houses of the supporters of his rival candidate.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notices on Thursday to the inspector general of police, deputy inspector general Larkana, Kandhkot’s deputy commissioner and PPP’s Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani. Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, while heading the bench, also called for comments from the provincial law officer.

Karim Dad Banglani had gone to the court against the officials. He told the judges that his clan has been a supporter of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazlur Rehman group. They supported and voted in favour of their tribal chief, Jahangir Banglani, who contested election on PS-16 seat against PPP’s Bijarani. This infuriated Bijarani, he said.

According to the petitioner’s lawyer Muhammad Khan Buriro, some armed men of the Bijrarani tribe attacked the Banglani houses in Karim Dan Banglani Goth and set them on fire to take revenge. The fire also killed two children but the police failed to take any action, the lawyer said.

“Is this the price to pay for casting a vote on one’s own choice?” the sweating middle-aged man clad in shalwar kameez told the reporters outside the courtroom. Earlier, he had requested SHC chief justice Mushir Alam to allow the hearing of his petition in Karachi because he could not go to Larkana to plead his case due to threats to his life. Allowing the request, Alam forwarded the petition to a division bench in Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.

HYDERABAD: Sindhi nationalist leader Ayaz Palijo, who was a candidate for PS-47 Hyderabad, has challenged the election results in the Sindh High Court, pleading for re-election in the constituency.

Palijo, who was supported by the 10-party Alliance, lost the seat to Pakistan Peoples Party’s Jam Khan Shoro by a margin of around 11,000 votes.

Palijo maintained in his petition that blatant rigging, harassment of his polling agents and partisanship of the presiding staff helped Shoro secure majority votes. “Our polling agents were either not allowed to sit in the polling stations or were harassed.” His lawyer, KB Rind, claimed that they have submitted proofs of rigging in the court. Palijo has cited the Election Commission of Pakistan, Sindh Election Commission, district election commissioner, returning officer, regional director of NADRA and Shoro as respondents in the case.

The bench of Justice Habibur Rehman and Justice Aqeel Abbassi issued notices to the respondents on Thursday to submit their reply on May 28.

Earlier this week, another candidate from Hyderabad’s PS-50 constituency, which has been officially won by former Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, filed a petition in the SHC. Khawand Bux Jahejo, a former PPP leader who contested the polls against the party’s candidate, also levelled similar charges in his petition and asked for re-election in the constituency under the army’s supervision.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.

The 2.5 million gallon  per day (MGD) plant, built at a cost of over Rs800 million, was to start functioning by the end of 2011 but the contractor came up with one excuse after the other for not meeting the deadline.

Jamshoro deputy commissioner Sajid Jamal Abro briefed the CM about the obstacles in completion of the project, including non-provision of electricity by the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco).

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.

KARACHI: A district and sessions judge declared the detention of people for having customised plates on their vehicles and pillion riding illegal on Thursday.

The judge – while saying that strict action should be taken when the law is violated – directed police officials not to arrest and register a case against people without receiving a complainant first.

Ghulam Murtaza Baloch, a judicial magistrate in district West, called in the SHOs of Pak Colony, SITE A, SITE B and several other police stations after a few men detained for having customised number plates and pillion riding were presented before him.

While expressing dissatisfaction over the police’s performance, the judge said the court had already disposed of several cases of such offences under section 63 (A) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). While disposing of the previous cases, the judge had said it was illegal for policemen to detain anybody without a complaint.

But the police continued to arrest dozens of people every day and presented them in the court even after they were warned not to do so, said the judge. “All of this just adds to the court’s workload.”

The judge stated in his order that registering cases under sections 144 and 188 of the CrPC without a complainant was against the sections 4(H) and 195(1) of the code. He added the police don’t have the authority to register a case on behalf of state or become complainants themselves.

The judge said cases should be registered on the complaints of a public servant and no one should be brought into the court without a complainant.

Strict action would be taken against SHOs and investigating officers if they continue to detain people illegally, said the judge. While disposing of such cases, he then ordered for all people detained for pillion riding and customised number plates to be released.

Earlier, police officials presented two notifications of home department from March 26 and March 29 in which it banned pillion riding as well as fancy number plates. The officers told the court they were just following orders.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.

To protect the shrine from falling prey to the greed of the land mafia, the shrine’s custodian and chairperson, Syed Shah Ghulam Mohiuddin Sharafi Firdousi, has moved the high court to protect it and has named provincial Auqaf department chief administrator, administrator and manager of the shrine as respondents.

The petitioner claimed that he has been entrusted with maintaining the security of the shrine, an area of 17 acres that includes the shrine, crocodile pond and a graveyard.  He further claimed that the manner in which the Auqaf department is running the affairs, there is every chance that the land will be encroached upon by the mafia in connivance with the chief administrator and administrator.

“The Auqaf department is only interested in the collections while the visitors are facing great difficulty due to lack of maintenance,” alleged Shujja Abbas Rizvi, the petitioner’s lawyer. He pleaded before the court to direct the Auqaf department to save the land from encroachment and maintain the shrine.

Sindh High Court chief justice Mushir Alam issued notice to the Auqaf department to provide details of collections made during the last three months. He also sought a report on supervision of the shrine.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.

KARACHI: Likely to take up the chief minister’s slot for the third time, 85-year-old Qaim Ali Shah insists that he is still young.

At a press conference on Friday, Shah said he was still unaware who the next chief minister (CM) in Sindh would be. Recently, PPP leader Manzoor Wasan said that the next CM would be a young and energetic person. “Manzoor Wasan also said that Qaim Ali Shah is young,” he told the reporters. “Believe it or not but I am still young and energetic.”

The former Sindh chief minister and PPP Sindh president, Shah also appealed to the judiciary to refrain from issuing a stay order on the election results. He suggested forwarding all complaints to the tribunals instead.

According to him, election results are being tampered to sink the PPP mandate in Sindh. “After the elections, different orders are being issued to suspend the results and notifications of our candidates,” he pointed out, adding that this exercise is meant to reduce PPP votes in the recounting process.

Shah felt that those who lose the elections always go knocking on the doors of the court. “This is not fair,” he said. “It has created trouble not only for the election commission, but for the formation of the government as well.” Even though the PPP was not given a level playing field during the election campaign, the party won a majority of seats in the province, he added.

“We have serious reservations on the election results but we have accepted these results,” he said, referring to rigging in Punjab and other places. He regretted that the 10-party alliance in Sindh has started a campaign against the PPP mandate in Sindh by accusing the party of massive rigging. “They not only harassed our voters but have started killing and torturing our people.”

Elections in Thar

Despite his earlier request to avoid blaming others, Shah could not help but criticise his opponents. “Opponents of the PPP snatched ballot papers, occupied our political camps and set them on fire on May 11,” he said, referring to the security in Tharparkar.

“We did not see the army or the Rangers guarding these areas. It seemed as if a free hand was given to anti-PPP elements to rig the general elections.”

PPP to woo all

On the formation of a new provincial setup in Sindh, Shah reiterated that they would continue their “reconciliation” policy and try to woo all parties to join the government. “Not just MQM, but we will persuade all old coalition partners, including the PML-N, to join the provincial government.”  He did, however, dispel the impression that the PPP has assured the MQM of repealing the incumbent local government system.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.

The British fighters escorted PIA flight PK709 to Stansted Airport near London, where police went on board and arrested two men on suspicion of endangering the aircraft. Flight PK709 from Lahore had been due to land at Manchester in northern England with 297 passengers on board, but was diverted shortly before arrival.

Britain is on high alert after a soldier was hacked to death on a London street on Wednesday in what the government is treating as a terrorist incident.

Stansted is one of London’s less busy airports, preferred as a location for handling airplane security incidents. A spokesperson for the airport said the plane was being held in an isolated area and that the rest of the airport was operating as normal. Passengers were leaving the plane and no one was hurt in the incident, the spokesperson added.

A passenger who had just got off the plane told the BBC the pilot had informed passengers after landing that he had diverted to Stansted because of threats. The passenger, named by the BBC as Mr Munsif, said two men had been handcuffed on board and removed.

“We landed safely and then he announced that they had some kind of threat from someone and that’s why he landed the plane,” the passenger said, speaking by telephone.

“Essex Police have boarded a passenger plane diverted to Stansted Airport and two men have been arrested on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft. They have been removed from the plane,” the police said in a statement.

“The two men arrested on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft are aged 30 and 41. They are being taken to a police station for interviewing by detectives,” they added.

Police said they are treating the incident as criminal in nature rather that terror-related.

“It’s a criminal investigation under the direction of Essex police,” Superintendent Darrin Tomkins told reporters at Stansted. Asked if it could be terror related, he added: “This incident is being treated as a criminal offence.”

“The plane will remain at its current location and will subject to forensic examination by specialist officers. At this point in time no suspicious items have been recovered,” Tomkins maintained.

According to TV channels, the plane was later cleared by the police and would depart for Manchester shortly

Details emerge

According to PIA officials, flight PK709 was diverted from Manchester to Stansted Airport after two passengers threatened the crew.

“British fighter jets were scrambled after the pilot informed the control tower that a passenger was trying to get inside the cockpit,” they added.

A PIA statement issued late Friday evening read: “The flight in UK airspace was diverted to Stansted airport after a PIA crew member, upon receiving a threat from two passengers, informed the flight captain.”

“The captain of the aircraft immediately contacted UK air traffic control and received directions to land at Stansted Airport,” it added. The statement further said the two passengers have been taken into custody and investigations were underway. Their identities have not been disclosed.

A PIA spokesperson Mashood Tajwar said that it was too soon to say anything about nature of the threat. “At the moment we know that UK police is interrogating the passengers. Both the passengers are UK nationals.” He did not say whether anyone tried to enter the cockpit.

There were conflicting reports of what actually happened aboard the aircraft. Some said that a brawl between a few passengers and the crew turned into threats to take down the plane.

“I have been told that someone was trying to get inside the cockpit,” said another PIA official. “Someone said something about blowing up the plane and then there was confusion.”

Captain Nadeem Sufi, who was in command of the flight, had no option but to inform the airport authorities, he added.

According to PIA officials, arrangements were being made to transport the passengers stranded at Stansted airport to Manchester.

Aviation industry officials say that heightened security alert in the UK added to the confusion. “This seems like a small incident blown out of proportion. It is PIA’s bad luck that it has to be under the spot light in such circumstances,” said an industry veteran. “But the pilot did the right thing. Pakistan cannot afford to take chances.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.

Petitioner Ghulam Hussain contended that his family had given some clothes to Zulfiqar Ali for stitching. He said when he received the clothes there were paint stains on them.

He said he complained but Ali refused to pay any compensation or replace the clothes with new ones.

Hussain prayed the court to direct Ali to pay Rs50,000 as damages. Zulfiqar Ali did not take the phone call from The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.

Directing the SSP to withdraw the case against the IO, the judge criticised him for showing an indifferent attitude towards a colleague. Inspector Mian Waqar of the Samundri police station had filed a petition on May 18. He said a case was registered against a candidate and his five accomplices on the election day under several sections, including the Anti Terrorism Act.

He said on the advice of Khalilur Rehman, an Anti Terrorism Court deputy prosecutor, the terrorism charge was removed from the case. He said SSP (Operation) Gohar Naseem had humiliated him for this and registered a case against him. The SSP was summoned on Friday and directed to withdraw the case against the petitioner.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2013.