The bench was hearing the plea filed by Morai's wife, Dr Seema Morai. Her counsel, advocate Khwaja Naveed, appeared before the court. Jail officials and others sought an extension from the court for submitting their replies. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court issued notices on Friday to Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) municipal commissioner and the district municipal corporations (DMCs) over a plea pertaining to the cleaning of drains and the encroachments on them.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Kausar Sultana Hussain was hearing the plea filed by a welfare organisation.
The petitioner's counsel maintained that the city has been badly affected because of the blocked drains. "It is not just about the cleaning of drains but also the encroachments and illegal constructions over the drains."
The court expressed dissatisfaction over the report submitted by the West DMC and returned it. The court observed that modern machinery is present in the world but here the drains are being cleaned manually. The court asked how the cleaning of drains would be possible under such circumstances.
The bench issued notices to the relevant authorities.
Advocate Sameer Ghazanfar prayed the court that the notice be issued to the municipal commissioner instead of Karachi mayor.
The bench observed that the mayor should also do some work in the city apart from holding press conferences, and remarked that the court is also issuing notice to Akhtar so he should also submit his reply.
KCR track
The same bench summoned the Board of Revenue survey superintendent over a plea filed against construction on the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) track which passes through Safari Park.
The counsel, representing a social welfare organisation which filed the petition, maintained that the land reserved for the KCR track which passes through Safari Park has been encroached upon.
KMC's counsel, Advocate Sameer Ghazanfar, maintained that four acres of the land belonged to the park.
The counsel for builder, Muhammad Nawaz Shaikh, maintained that the Sindh government allotted the land in 1996.
Advocate Sameer Ghazanfar argued that according to the allotment made in 1970, the land is part of Safari Park.
The court summoned the Board of Revenue survey superintendent directing him to ensure his presence on the next hearing of the case.
Alleged torture in prison
Another two-member bench comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Shamsuddin Abbasi granted extension to jail officials and other parties to submit their reply on the plea filed against the alleged torture of the former chairperson of fisheries department, Nisar Morai, in prison.
The bench was hearing the plea filed by Morai's wife, Dr Seema Morai. Her counsel, advocate Khwaja Naveed, appeared before the court. Jail officials and others sought an extension from the court for submitting their replies.
The court accepted their request and adjourned hearing till September 18.
Rehan murder case
Meanwhile, the family of a teenager, Rehan, who was brutally tortured to death allegedly for committing theft, filed a plea in the high court requesting the formation of a joint-investigation team (JIT) to probe the murder case.
The plea maintained that the police were not cooperating with the family and they did not know what was going on. "The way Rehan was killed and the video they recorded, was an act of terrorism. The case should be tried under anti-terrorism laws," stated the plea. It argued that the recording of the video and making it viral on social media was a cybercrime. The director of the Federal Investigation Agency should be directed to register the case under sections of cybercrime, read the plea.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2019.
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