Taking down mangroves: Lawyer to replace petitioner killed by ‘mafia’

Court gives lawyer more time to replace his client after the first one working on land grabbing case was murdered.

KARACHI:

A court has given a lawyer more time to replace his client after the first one was murdered. The first petitioner had gone to court against people who were illegally cutting down mangroves.

Waqarullah Korejo advocate told the Sindh High Court that the petitioner, Abdul Ghani, the president of the Fisherfolk Development Organisation, Kakapir Village, was killed allegedly by the mafia involved in the illegal occupation and sale of mangrove land. Korejo said that he needed time to find someone else who wants to pursue this public interest petition. The bench allowed the request. The Keamari town police officer was told to explain why he did not follow orders given on April 21 to keep an eye on the people cutting mangroves. Former Keamari nazim Zulfiqar Younus, Younusabad resident Shakeel Ahmed, the home secretary, operations DIG, west TPO, Mauripur SHO and Board of Revenue have been nominated as respondents.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2011.