Petitioner seeks court order for registration of water companies

PSQCA claims the registration is to be done by them, SFA claims otherwise

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the plaintiff on Monday to consult relevant forums regarding the registration of companies selling water. The plea was heard by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Agha Faisal.

The plaintiff's lawyer observed that the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) says that the registration of companies selling water will be done by them but according to the Sindh Food Authority (SFA), after the 18th Ammendment the registration of these companies will be done by SFA.

The lawyer maintained that the officers of both the departments are never present in their offices. Justice Mazhar remarked that the water sold to locals must be of good quality and companies must undergo the examination process after the installation of the plant. The court directed the plaintiff to consult relevant platforms and sought a progress report by April 9.



Schools security

SHC summoned on Monday the education secretary on April 11 with regards to the security of schools across the province. A two-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar heard the plea. The court expressed displeasure over the absence of the education secretary.

It was observed in the plea that after the attack on Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar in December 2014, other schools have also been under threat. According to the plea, schools situated in Orangi Town, Gulberg and Lyari are at a high security risk. The plea stated that the Sindh government has not done anything about the security of schools during the last three years. The funds to raise the walls of schools and take other measures were also not released.

The Sindh government said in its reply that standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the security of schools have been devised. The reply stated that the Sindh inspector-general has been made responsible for the implementation of the SOPs. The security of educational institutions across the province has been increased, it added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2019.