Qasr-e-Naz incident: Petitioner moves SHC for action against negligent officials
Officials liable for the deaths have been restored to their posts instead of an inquiry being initiated against them
SIndh High Court (PHOTO: EXPRESS)
KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court (SHC) sought reports on Thursday from the federal and provincial governments as well as the police over a plea that stated that no action has been taken against the officers of a government guesthouse, Qasr-e-Naz, for their alleged negligence that had resulted in the deaths of six members of a family, including five children, in February, earlier this year.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Shamsuddin Abbasi, heard the petition moved by a relative of the victims' family.
The petitioner's counsel maintained that the court should order a departmental inquiry to be carried out against 14 government employees, including Pakistan Public Works Department (PPWD) director Nadeem Akhter, chief engineer Hussain, chief executive engineer Heer Nand, Zakir Hussain, Mehram Hussain Brohi, Sajid Hussain and others. They were among the accused who exhibited negligence, yet they got off scot-free, said the counsel.
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The petitioner pleaded that the government employees should be dismissed from their posts after the inquiry and that they must be suspended until the inquiry is pending.
He said that aluminium phosphate was the cause of death of the family members which was sprayed in the room allotted to Faisal Zaman.
Faisal Zaman had come to Karachi from Quetta with his wife, Nida Faisal and their five children, one-and-a-half-year-old Abdul Ali, four-year-old Aziz Faisal, six-year-old Alina, seven-year-old Tauheed and nine-year-old Salwa on Thursday night. Faisal's sister, Beena Badruddin, also accompanied them on the trip.
Investigation teams had searched Qasr-e-Naz, where they found empty bottles of Aluminium Phosphide in its store. Traces of aluminium phosphide were found in the victims' organs. Investigators also found that this chemical is not normally used for fumigation in houses and lodges due to its toxic nature. According to the records, the staff at Qasr-e-Naz had been using the chemical for a long time and brought large quantities of it.
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The environmental protection agency has declared Aluminium Phosphate hazardous for health. The officials liable for the death of the children have been restored to their posts instead of a departmental inquiry being initiated against them, the petitioner lamented.
The court sought a report on the issue from the federal and provincial governments and police after hearing the arguments.
Torture in prison
In a separate case, the same bench adjourned the hearing of a plea regarding the torture of Nisar Morai in prison as the petitioner has hired another counsel.
The court was hearing the plea filed by the Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former chairman of the Fisherman Cooperative Society, Nisar Morai's wife, against his torture in prison. Barrister Faisal Siddiqi maintained that extension should be granted for the submission of the power of attorney. The court adjourned the hearing till October 8. The plea also states that Dr Nisar Morai is unwell and that medical facilities are not being provided to him.
SHC maintains stay order against encroachments in parks
In a separate case, the counsel representing the Pak Sarzameen Party, Advocate Hassan Sabir, sought an extension from the SHC for the provision of records and documents to the federal government regarding the PSP's plea against rigging in elections.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Agha Faisal, was hearing the plea filed by the PSP. The PSP counsel, Advocate Hassan Sabir, argued that large-scale rigging was carried out during the elections in Karachi.
Forms weren't issued to 45 candidates and polling agents were expelled from the polling centres before the counting process. The results were also held back. He pleaded that the elections in Karachi should be disqualified and re-elections should be carried out. The court granted the extension and adjourned the hearing till October 6.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2019.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) sought reports on Thursday from the federal and provincial governments as well as the police over a plea that stated that no action has been taken against the officers of a government guesthouse, Qasr-e-Naz, for their alleged negligence that had resulted in the deaths of six members of a family, including five children, in February, earlier this year.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Shamsuddin Abbasi, heard the petition moved by a relative of the victims' family.
The petitioner's counsel maintained that the court should order a departmental inquiry to be carried out against 14 government employees, including Pakistan Public Works Department (PPWD) director Nadeem Akhter, chief engineer Hussain, chief executive engineer Heer Nand, Zakir Hussain, Mehram Hussain Brohi, Sajid Hussain and others. They were among the accused who exhibited negligence, yet they got off scot-free, said the counsel.
SHC seeks details of contract between DMCs, Chinese firm
The petitioner pleaded that the government employees should be dismissed from their posts after the inquiry and that they must be suspended until the inquiry is pending.
He said that aluminium phosphate was the cause of death of the family members which was sprayed in the room allotted to Faisal Zaman.
Faisal Zaman had come to Karachi from Quetta with his wife, Nida Faisal and their five children, one-and-a-half-year-old Abdul Ali, four-year-old Aziz Faisal, six-year-old Alina, seven-year-old Tauheed and nine-year-old Salwa on Thursday night. Faisal's sister, Beena Badruddin, also accompanied them on the trip.
Investigation teams had searched Qasr-e-Naz, where they found empty bottles of Aluminium Phosphide in its store. Traces of aluminium phosphide were found in the victims' organs. Investigators also found that this chemical is not normally used for fumigation in houses and lodges due to its toxic nature. According to the records, the staff at Qasr-e-Naz had been using the chemical for a long time and brought large quantities of it.
SHC orders registration of FIR against former SSP for ‘half-frying’ doctor
The environmental protection agency has declared Aluminium Phosphate hazardous for health. The officials liable for the death of the children have been restored to their posts instead of a departmental inquiry being initiated against them, the petitioner lamented.
The court sought a report on the issue from the federal and provincial governments and police after hearing the arguments.
Torture in prison
In a separate case, the same bench adjourned the hearing of a plea regarding the torture of Nisar Morai in prison as the petitioner has hired another counsel.
The court was hearing the plea filed by the Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former chairman of the Fisherman Cooperative Society, Nisar Morai's wife, against his torture in prison. Barrister Faisal Siddiqi maintained that extension should be granted for the submission of the power of attorney. The court adjourned the hearing till October 8. The plea also states that Dr Nisar Morai is unwell and that medical facilities are not being provided to him.
SHC maintains stay order against encroachments in parks
In a separate case, the counsel representing the Pak Sarzameen Party, Advocate Hassan Sabir, sought an extension from the SHC for the provision of records and documents to the federal government regarding the PSP's plea against rigging in elections.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Agha Faisal, was hearing the plea filed by the PSP. The PSP counsel, Advocate Hassan Sabir, argued that large-scale rigging was carried out during the elections in Karachi.
Forms weren't issued to 45 candidates and polling agents were expelled from the polling centres before the counting process. The results were also held back. He pleaded that the elections in Karachi should be disqualified and re-elections should be carried out. The court granted the extension and adjourned the hearing till October 6.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2019.