SHC refuses to hear petitions as pandemic worsens

SHC says bail pleas are to be given priority, with inmates being at increased risk

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court refused on Thursday to hear multiple petitions, including those pertaining to matters of public interest, lay-offs during the lockdown and the ban on inter-provincial transport, keeping in view the pandemic escalation.

Public interest cases

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Omar Sial and Justice Zulfiqar Ali Sangi, refused the request to hold on priority basis the hearings of public interest cases.

Irked at the large number of people crowding the court room, Justice Sial reprimanded the attendees. He pointed out that an infected person was likely to infect two or more persons sitting near him.

“Social distancing is very important but people have become so selfish that they don’t care any longer,” he commented.

Keeping in view the uptick in coronavirus cases, the court refused requests to hear public interest cases on priority basis and maintained that it would prioritise hearing bail pleas as inmates who were increasingly at risk of contracting the virus, too, needed to be protected.

It adjourned the hearing, directing lawyers and petitioners to stay home.

Government restrictions

The bench also refused to hear a petition by mill owners challenging the government’s restriction on employers sacking workers during the lockdown.

“Numerous similar petitions have been filed,” remarked Justice Sial, adding that the court could not hear such a large number of petitions during the pandemic.

At this, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the relevant ordinances would be upheld for a limited period and prayed the court to bar the government from taking action against industrialists.

In response, Justice Sial rebuked, “People [in the court room] are standing shoulder to shoulder and then expect the court to hear their petitions.”

He said that requests for urgent hearings were to be made in July and adjourned the hearing.

The same bench also rejected transporters’ request to hold an immediate hearing of their plea challenging the ban on inter-province transport.

The transporters’ counsel argued that inter-city bus travel was only banned in Sindh, accusing the Sindh government of defying the mechanisms approved by the Supreme Court (SC). “You then need to approach the SC,” commented Justice Sial and adjourned the hearing, stating that plea proceedings would resume in August. He further directed transporters to implement the standard operating procedures issued by the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2020.