SHC issues notices over plea seeking release of missing employee’s salary

Grants extension to Larkana DIG for settling matters with doctor injured in 'fake encounter'

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to the Sindh government, education secretary and other relevant departments over a plea seeking the release of Sindh Education and Literacy Department's missing employee, Aslam Kamal's salary.

A two-member bench of SHC, comprising Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry, issued the notices on Thursday, after hearing the plea filed by Kamal's wife.

Presenting her case, the petitioner's counsel informed the court that Kamal has been missing for the past five years and so far, no information pertaining to his disappearance has been acquired. He said that his wife now needs money to marry her daughter, adding that the court had earlier directed to file a petition for the release of the missing employee's salary. The counsel moved the court to order the Sindh government to release Kamal's salary.

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Following the counsel's arguments, the court issued notices to the provincial government, education secretary and other relevant departments, directing them to submit replies over the plea by November 12.

Extension granted

Meanwhile, another bench of SHC, comprising Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan, granted an extension to Larkana DIG Irfan Baloch for settling matters with Dr Deepak Raj, who was 'half-fried'- a term used by police for those injured during encounters- in an alleged fake encounter by the Hyderabad Police.

The court granted an extension on the request of the DIG's counsel while hearing a plea seeking a settlement between the two parties, filed by Dr Raj.

Besides, the Sindh Health Department submitted a report during the hearing. The report concludes that Dr Raj's treatment is possible in Pakistan, whereas, his wife Suneeta claims that the treatment being provided to Dr Raj in the country is not satisfactory. The court was also informed that Dr Raj will be appointed as a grade-six officer, to work as a vaccinator, in accordance with his qualifications, within the next 20 days.

The court adjourned the hearing till November 15.

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Dr Raj, a psychiatrist from Korangi, was injured in an alleged fake encounter in 2015.  He had informed the court at an earlier hearing that he had gone to Hyderabad to visit relatives when police officials shot him at a tea shop in Hyderabad's Kali Morri area. The policemen caught hold of him at the shop and shot at his legs, he recalled, adding that they kept calling him 'Shareef Panhwar'. He was left paralysed and an amputee as a result of the incident.

His wife had gone to the court, seeking compensation from the provincial authorities for the disabilities suffered by her husband, whose left leg had to be amputated after getting shattered by 12 bullets.

Earlier this year, the SHC had ordered the registration of a case against the former Hyderabad SSP, Larkana DIG and other police officials and had directed the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the incident, following which, Larkana DIG had filed a petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the SHC's decision to register an FIR against him.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2019.