SHC suspends crash probe trial

Proceedings on hold until release of inquiry report

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court suspended on Friday the proceedings of a plea seeking a transparent probe into Model Colony plane crash until the release of the conclusive findings of an ongoing inquiry of the crash.

The plea contended that the procurement and employment of "out of order" aircraft by Pakistan International Airlines put around 800 lives at risk daily. Moving the court to order a transparent inquiry of Model Colony plane crash, it underscored that the investigation report of the plane crash in Havelian also has not been released yet.

Hearing the plea, a two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed asked the deputy attorney general when the inquiry report of the crash in Model Colony was expected to be released.

At this, the deputy attorney general told the court that the report was likely to be released by June 22, assuring the bench that it would be made public as per the orders of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The court then asked the petitioner why he had referred to the delay in the release of the Havelian crash investigation report in the plea. "The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has [already] submitted its reply on the Havelian crash," remarked Justice Mazhar, directing the petitioner to go through the CAA's reply before arguing over the matter in court.

"PM Khan is personally overseeing the inquiry of the Model Colony crash. How then can the court issue a notice to relevant government departments and officials until the inquiry's findings are not released?" he questioned.

The petitioner prayed the court to seek replies from relevant authorities on who purchased the plane and why, maintaining that it was not in fit flying condition on May 22, when the crash took place.

However, the court maintained that the issue could not be discussed further until the inquiry report was released and adjourned the hearing till June 25.

'Inaction on locusts'

The bench also issued a notice to the Sindh government, seeking a report on the measures it had taken to control locust invasions in the province.

According to the plea, the court had ordered the Sindh government in December, 2019, to take effective measures to keep locusts at bay and prevent crop damage, but no action was taken in this regard. "Locust attacks wouldn't be an issue right now had timely action been taken earlier," the plea argued.

The additional advocate general informed the court that there was just one aircraft in the country for aerial spraying to kill locusts and it was mostly used to deal with the problem in Punjab. However, the locust swarms were a national issue, he insisted, adding that the Sindh government had written to the federal government requesting aircraft for spraying pesticides.

The petitioner also raised alarm that if not controlled, the pests were likely to cause a famine-like situation.

Seeking a report on the extent of implementation of court orders by the Sindh government, the court adjourned the hearing till June 11.

Contempt of court

Meanwhile, Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi filed a contempt of court plea in the SHC, seeking action against the provincial chief secretary for failing to make public joint investigation team reports on Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch and Nisar Morai.

Stating that the court had ordered the chief secretary to make three reports on Lyari gangsters public in January but he had not complied, the plea moved the court to take action against him.

Underlining the significance of making the reports public, the plea claimed that Morai and Baloch had revealed information during interrogation about involvement of influential persons in the Baldia factory fire, terrorism and crime.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2020.