Court orders action against retailers selling milk at inflated rates
Directs Karachi commissioner to ensure that milk is sold at fixed price of Rs94 per litre
Representational image. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the Karachi commissioner to ensure that milk is sold at the fixed rate of Rs94 per litre and take action against retailers selling it at inflated prices.
A two-member bench of the SHC, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Agha Faisal, issued the directives while hearing a plea, filed against the unofficial increase in milk prices, on Thursday. The plea has been filed by a citizen, Imran Shahzad.
During the hearing, the court ordered that the official price of milk should be fixed at Rs94 per litre and action should be taken against those selling it at unofficial, higher rates. Speaking in this regard, Dr Waseemuddin informed the court that the official rate of milk has been fixed at Rs94 per litre. He further said that raids are being conducted at shops where milk is sold at unofficial prices and fines are imposed on retailers found to be selling milk at increased rates.
However, dismissing Dr Waseemuddin's claims, the court remarked, "making claims would do little [to solve the problem]," and inquired from him why the court's orders weren't being obeyed. Justice Mazhar further questioned why milk was not being sold at official rates and what Karachi commissioner was doing in this regard.
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Concluding the hearing, court sought a detailed report from the commissioner, ordering him to submit it by November 12.
Fake domiciles
The same bench also granted an extension to the Sindh chief secretary and Karachi commissioner for submitting replies over a plea pertaining to the issuance of domiciles.
The plea, filed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan, mentions that thousands of jobs have been awarded on the basis of fake domiciles since 2008 and another 40,00o people, having fake domiciles, are now again being employed. According to the petition, fake domiciles and Permanent Residence Certificates are being issued across Sindh, without the verification of addresses mentioned on the applicants' CNICs. Hassan has argued in his petition that employment given on the basis of fake domiciles has deprived the local residents of Karachi of their rights and has requested the court to constitute a committee for verifying documents before domiciles are issued.
While the Karachi deputy commissioner submitted his reply to the court over the plea, the Karachi commissioner failed to do so. Expressing annoyance, the court inquired why the commissioner hadn't submitted the reply. It also reprimanded the government lawyer and remarked, "Make it clear whether you want to submit the reply."
The court gave an extension to the chief secretary and the Karachi commissioner to submit the replies and also ordered them to submit petitions to become parties in the case. It adjourned the hearing till November 13.
Entry of heavy traffic
In another case, the bench ordered the chief secretary to discuss solutions to the problem of entry of heavy traffic in Karachi with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and devise a way to resolve the issue.
During the hearing, the court remarked that besides devising a solution to the issue of heavy traffic's entry, the CM should also work out ways to resolve other problems.
Sindh chief secretary, municipal commissioner, Sindh advocate-general and other relevant officials appeared before the court at the hearing on Thursday.
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The counsel for Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) informed the court that the body is supposed to construct a terminal for heavy traffic outside the city and the Board of Revenue was to allot 100 acres of land for this purpose. However, the land hasn't been allotted yet, the KMC's counsel maintained.
Following this, the court questioned the chief secretary why the disputes pertaining to the issue have not been resolved. It remarked that KMC officials continue to claim that they don't have enough funds and if the situation persists, no solution can be worked out. The CM needs to seriously work on resolving the issue, it admonished.
Replying to the court's remarks, the chief secretary said that the government is making serious efforts to resolve the issue and assured that he will personally discuss the problems with the CM.
To this, Justice Mazhar remarked that such problems are issues of public interest. Responding to this remark, the secretary said that 100 acres of land at Northern Bypass will soon be allotted to KMC for constructing the terminal.
The court ordered the chief secretary to submit a progress report at the next hearing on November 14, while directing him to consult the CM over the issue and devise a solution for the problem.
Missing persons
Meanwhile, another bench, comprising Justice KK Agha and Justice Zulfiqar Ali Sangi, ordered the relevant authorities to recover the missing citizens within a month's time and submit a report to the court. It passed the orders while hearing pleas pertaining to the recovery of more than 70 missing persons.
During the hearing, the petitioners' counsels maintained that missing citizens, including Mehboob Ali, were apprehended in separate incidents from different areas of Karachi. They informed the court that many months have passed since the citizens went missing and said that they should be recovered.
Hearing the pleas, the court remarked that the Sindh government, police and other relevant departments should take effective measures for the recovery of missing persons. It said that instead of presenting reports, the authorities should devise a suitable strategy for launching an operation to recover the missing persons.
The court ordered to recover the missing persons within a month and sought a report in this regard, which is to be submitted after the missing citizens' recovery.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2019.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the Karachi commissioner to ensure that milk is sold at the fixed rate of Rs94 per litre and take action against retailers selling it at inflated prices.
A two-member bench of the SHC, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Agha Faisal, issued the directives while hearing a plea, filed against the unofficial increase in milk prices, on Thursday. The plea has been filed by a citizen, Imran Shahzad.
During the hearing, the court ordered that the official price of milk should be fixed at Rs94 per litre and action should be taken against those selling it at unofficial, higher rates. Speaking in this regard, Dr Waseemuddin informed the court that the official rate of milk has been fixed at Rs94 per litre. He further said that raids are being conducted at shops where milk is sold at unofficial prices and fines are imposed on retailers found to be selling milk at increased rates.
However, dismissing Dr Waseemuddin's claims, the court remarked, "making claims would do little [to solve the problem]," and inquired from him why the court's orders weren't being obeyed. Justice Mazhar further questioned why milk was not being sold at official rates and what Karachi commissioner was doing in this regard.
Oil steadies above $61, weak demand outlook weighs
Concluding the hearing, court sought a detailed report from the commissioner, ordering him to submit it by November 12.
Fake domiciles
The same bench also granted an extension to the Sindh chief secretary and Karachi commissioner for submitting replies over a plea pertaining to the issuance of domiciles.
The plea, filed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan, mentions that thousands of jobs have been awarded on the basis of fake domiciles since 2008 and another 40,00o people, having fake domiciles, are now again being employed. According to the petition, fake domiciles and Permanent Residence Certificates are being issued across Sindh, without the verification of addresses mentioned on the applicants' CNICs. Hassan has argued in his petition that employment given on the basis of fake domiciles has deprived the local residents of Karachi of their rights and has requested the court to constitute a committee for verifying documents before domiciles are issued.
While the Karachi deputy commissioner submitted his reply to the court over the plea, the Karachi commissioner failed to do so. Expressing annoyance, the court inquired why the commissioner hadn't submitted the reply. It also reprimanded the government lawyer and remarked, "Make it clear whether you want to submit the reply."
The court gave an extension to the chief secretary and the Karachi commissioner to submit the replies and also ordered them to submit petitions to become parties in the case. It adjourned the hearing till November 13.
Entry of heavy traffic
In another case, the bench ordered the chief secretary to discuss solutions to the problem of entry of heavy traffic in Karachi with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and devise a way to resolve the issue.
During the hearing, the court remarked that besides devising a solution to the issue of heavy traffic's entry, the CM should also work out ways to resolve other problems.
Sindh chief secretary, municipal commissioner, Sindh advocate-general and other relevant officials appeared before the court at the hearing on Thursday.
Heatwave destroys one-third of cotton crop in Pakistan
The counsel for Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) informed the court that the body is supposed to construct a terminal for heavy traffic outside the city and the Board of Revenue was to allot 100 acres of land for this purpose. However, the land hasn't been allotted yet, the KMC's counsel maintained.
Following this, the court questioned the chief secretary why the disputes pertaining to the issue have not been resolved. It remarked that KMC officials continue to claim that they don't have enough funds and if the situation persists, no solution can be worked out. The CM needs to seriously work on resolving the issue, it admonished.
Replying to the court's remarks, the chief secretary said that the government is making serious efforts to resolve the issue and assured that he will personally discuss the problems with the CM.
To this, Justice Mazhar remarked that such problems are issues of public interest. Responding to this remark, the secretary said that 100 acres of land at Northern Bypass will soon be allotted to KMC for constructing the terminal.
The court ordered the chief secretary to submit a progress report at the next hearing on November 14, while directing him to consult the CM over the issue and devise a solution for the problem.
Missing persons
Meanwhile, another bench, comprising Justice KK Agha and Justice Zulfiqar Ali Sangi, ordered the relevant authorities to recover the missing citizens within a month's time and submit a report to the court. It passed the orders while hearing pleas pertaining to the recovery of more than 70 missing persons.
During the hearing, the petitioners' counsels maintained that missing citizens, including Mehboob Ali, were apprehended in separate incidents from different areas of Karachi. They informed the court that many months have passed since the citizens went missing and said that they should be recovered.
Hearing the pleas, the court remarked that the Sindh government, police and other relevant departments should take effective measures for the recovery of missing persons. It said that instead of presenting reports, the authorities should devise a suitable strategy for launching an operation to recover the missing persons.
The court ordered to recover the missing persons within a month and sought a report in this regard, which is to be submitted after the missing citizens' recovery.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2019.