SHC orders to make JIT reports on Baldia fire, Nisar Morai, Uzair Baloch public

The order states that Qanoon-e-Shahadat Order gives people the right to know the truth

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued a written order on Tuesday, directing the relevant parties to make public the joint investigation team (JIT) reports on Baldia factory fire, Nisar Morai, former Fishermen Cooperative Society chairperson who has been allegedly tortured in jail, and Lyari-based gangster Uzair Baloch.

The 11-page-long written order was issued by a two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Shamsuddin Abbasi, on a plea filed by Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi.

Zaidi had stated in the plea that over 200 people were killed in Baldia factory fire and Baloch had turned Lyari into a war zone. He claimed in the plea that JIT reports on these matters were not being made public "in a bid by the Sindh government to hide the truth" pertaining to the involvement of police and government officials in the "massacre[s]." Many of the officials involved in the offences have been promoted, now serving on high positions, Zaidi mentioned in the petition, adding that JIT reports were not being made public as the "provincial chief secretary wanted to protect the officials."

The government lawyer, however, had contended that JIT reports couldn't be made public as they were about "sensitive issues," moving the court to dismiss the plea.

Issuing a written verdict, the court, however, ordered that JIT reports be made public.

The written order states that in a democratic and civilised society, citizens have the right to information. It further reads that families of 259 persons killed in the Baldia factory fire should be informed that who was responsible for the incident.  "The affected families are entitled to know the truth behind the gruesome incident and the citizens have the right to know who were involved [in the offences]," the order reads.

According to the order, the reports can be made public as they don't include any information that put the state's security at risk, and various details of the reports have already been disclosed. The Qanoon-e-Shahadat Order, 1984 gives people the right to know the truth and hence, it is on the Sindh government to make all three JIT reports public, the order states.

 'Remove encroachments'

Meanwhile, another bench, comprising Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan, ordered to remove all encroachments in Gulistan-e-Jauhar's Block 10 and 11 within six weeks.

During the hearing, the petitioner seeking the removal of encroachments informed the court that illegal structures were being constructed in Blocks 10 and 11 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

At this, the court directed the relevant authorities to remove all encroachments within six weeks, with the assistance of Rangers. It, however, instructed the authorities to call a meeting within a week for devising a strategy before launching an anti-encroachment operation in the area. Brigadier ranked Rangers officials are to also attend the meeting, the court further directed.

Seeking a progress report from the relevant authorities in six weeks, the court adjourned the hearing for indefinite period.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2020.