Oil tanker owners not willing to relocate, mayor informs SC

Chief Justice expresses displeasure over cleaning work on drains

KARACHI: Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar informed the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday that despite the passage of one year after the inauguration of the Zulfiqarabad Oil Terminal, oil tanker owners were not willing to use it for the parking of their tankers.

Wasim along with representatives of the Oil Tankers Association attended the hearing regarding the oil terminal at the SC Karachi Registry. Chief Justice (CJ) Mian Saqib Nisar headed the bench.

The SC ordered that no oil tanker will be allowed to be parked in Shirin Jinnah Colony after 15 days. The apex court also directed the mayor and Advocate Zia Awan to pay a visit to the terminal site.

However, Oil Tankers Association President Yousuf Shehwani contended that the mayor had been lying and the tanker owners were willing to relocate at the terminal. The bench censured Shehwani for disrespectfully referring to the mayor and terming his statement a lie.

The association president argued that of 200 acres of land allotted for the terminal, only 130-acre space was available for tankers, to which Justice Nisar asked the mayor to explain why the project was not completed.



The mayor, however, insisted that the work was completed. He suggested that the court send its nazir to the site to verify his claim.

The nazir will go and submit a report, Justice Nisar said. The CJ also hinted that he might visit the terminal himself to see whether it had been completed or not.

No tankers should be seen in Shirin Jinnah Colony after 15 days, the apex court remarked. Justice Nisar warned that if oil tanker owners resorted to strike against their relocation, they would be sent behind the bars.

Shehwani argued that the deadline given by the SC was too short and it was not possible for the tanker owners to relocate within 15 days. The CJ, however, dismissed his argument, stating that oil tanker owners should fear God.

The court directed the mayor to join the inspection teams on their visit to the terminal and present findings on the next hearing.



During the hearing, Justice Nisar also inquired about the cleaning of nullahs in Karachi. The CJ asked the mayor how many drains had been cleaned in Karachi and whether he was willing to take the bench on an inspection visit of nullahs. Wasim suggested to the bench to visit Nehr-e-Khayyam.

Visit to nullahs

Later, Justice Nisar, accompanied by the mayor, inspected the cleaning work on two nullahs.

They first visited Nehr-e-Khayyam in Clifton. Breifing the CJ about the work on the drain, the mayor said Nehr-e-Khayyam had also been receiving sewage from the residences nearby. He also informed the CJ about encroachments that have been built over the drain and its surroundings throughout its route.

Justice Nisar asked the mayor how long it would take to transform the drain, to which Wasim replied it could take three to four months.

After Nehr-e-Khayyam, the CJ and mayor visited the drain in Manzoor Colony near Qayyumabad Chowrangi. The mayor informed the CJ that the drain had been in a neglected state for years and now the city government had started its repair and cleaning work after receiving funds from the provincial government.



Justice Nisar, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the condition of the drain. He remarked that he could imagine in what state other drains in the city would be.

KPT chairperson summoned

A larger bench headed by Justice Nisar directed the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) chairperson to arrive at a solution regarding environmental pollution being caused due to the import of coal at the Karachi seaport.

KPT Chairperson Vice-Admiral Jameel Akhtar and Port and Shipping Secretary Syed Mumtaz Shah appeared before the SC. The apex court remarked that due to the environmental pollution resulting from the import of coal, people were being diagnosed with throat and chest cancer. The SC directed the KPT chairperson to find a solution of the problem.

Jameel informed the SC that he had been holding meetings with coal importers for the past three months to resolve the issue. The KPT chairperson said he wanted to end the import of coal at the port as allegations of corruption had surfaced against him.

The SC observed that fundamental rights of people were being violated due to the import of coal. Directing the KPT chairperson to find a solution of the problem, the apex court summoned him along with importers on the next hearing.



Illegal appointments in police

The SC also summoned the establishment division secretary on the case against illegal appointments in the police department.

An additional advocate-general informed the court that the department had almost completed its investigations against illegal appointments. Only investigations against eight police officers were delayed, which would soon be completed, the SC was informed.

The apex court admitted in its remarks that action against illegal appointment in Sindh Police had been taken and that the department had already earned laurels in this regard.

However, the bench maintained that while the provincial government had submitted a report on the officers involved in illegal appointments, the federal government had still not submitted its report.

Summoning the establishment division secretary, the SC adjourned the hearing till June 28.