SHC directs Sindh chief secretary to settle lawyers' aid plea

Counsel tells court Sindh govt lacks funds to help needy lawyers

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court directed on Wednesday the Sindh chief secretary to settle matters by meeting the representatives of the lawyers' associations over a plea seeking financial assistance for lawyers during the lockdown.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Yousuf Sayeed, was hearing the plea filed by the Sindh Bar Council and other lawyers' associations.

Justice Mazhar inquired about the ways the lawyers that have suffered loss could be facilitated.

The government lawyer maintained that the provincial government did not have enough funds to pay the lawyers, adding that it was unable to even pay the pensions and allowances of its retired employees.

Justice Mazhar remarked that the Punjab government was also issuing funds for its lawyers, on which the additional law secretary informed the court that the Sindh government had formed a committee for the provision of funds for the lawyers.

The court sought a progress report from the Sindh government on June 1 and adjourned the hearing.

Stranded in Kyrgyzstan

The same bench issued notices to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant authorities in a plea seeking the return of 500 Pakistanis stranded in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and sought replies by June 2.

The petitioner pointed out in the plea that the Pakistani government was bringing citizens back to the country from Europe and the Middle East, but was making no efforts to repatriate citizens from Kyrgyzstan.

The counsel representing Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) claimed that airlines did not have direct flight operations to Kyrgyzstan. He stated that if those stranded in the Central Asian state could travel to another city such as Kabul, Istanbul or Dubai, they could be brought him.

The court sought replies from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant authorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2020.