SC concerned over N-power plants near populated areas

Seeks report from authorities within six weeks

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has issued notices to the National Command Authority and the Nuclear Regularity Authority over the nuclear power plants operating in Karachi.

A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, heard a petition filed by Public Interest Law Associate, through advocate Salahuddin, who expressed serious concern over the enforcement of plant in populated areas.

The counsel for the petitioner argued that preventative measures were taken all over the world before the enforcement of such plants, adding that if some untoward incident took place, it would become difficult to transfer the population from Karachi.

He questioned what preventive measures had been taken over ‘this matter of human lives’.

The bench sought reply from both the respondents within six weeks.



Meanwhile, the federal government informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday that more than 3,300 Pakistani prisoners were languishing in unpleasant conditions in the jails of four countries with whom the agreement for transfer of offenders has been signed.

Additional Attorney General Nayyar Rizvi submitted a report wherein it is stated that 2,710 Pakistanis are jailed in the UAE, 423 in the UK, 87 in Sri Lanka and 83 in Thailand.

Besides, 261 prisoners are detained in Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan, but with them the agreement regarding the transfer of offenders has not been ratified, says the report.

The bench expressed concern over the delay regarding the transfer of prisoners, and directed Additional Attorney General Nayyar Rizvi to file a reply within a week.

With regard to a suo motu case about miserable condition of women in jails, the same bench directed all sessions judges to inspect all jails and submit report within a week.



The federal ombudsman has also submitted a report regarding the matter in which a number of recommendations had been given for improving the jail system. The report recommends that there is a need to expand the probation or parole facilities to reduce the numbers of prisoners. The report also calls for keeping drug users and mentally insane prisoners in drug clinics outside the jail premises.