SHC seeks AGP’s reply on PSM lay-offs

Orders NAB to submit reply on bail plea of accused in illegal land allotment case within 10 days

KARACHI:  

The Sindh High Court issued on Wednesday a notice to the attorney general for Pakistan (AGP), seeking his reply on a plea challenging the federal government’s move of terminating 9,500 Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) employees.

In the plea, the PSM workers union has called for restoring the PSM to its original shape so that it may resume functioning, calling the termination of its employees “illegal.” The plea moves the court to stop the government from terminating the employees.

The court, accepting the employees’ request to hear the plea on priority basis, issued a notice to the AGP, directing him to submit a reply on the plea on June 23.

Besides, the court combined the plea with other similar petitions.

Ultimatum

The bench also sought the National Accountability Bureau’s reply on the bail plea of tapedar Muhammad Hussain, who was accused of making fake entries for illegal land allotment, ordering the anti-graft watchdog to submit the reply within 10 days.

Contesting the accused’s arrest, his counsel argued that the arrest warrant was not issued by NAB chairperson but an accountability court. “In provinces other than Sindh, people aren’t sent to jail on the basis of warrants issued by accountability courts,” he claimed.

In response, the NAB prosecutor excused himself from submitting the reply on the pretext of the situation arising out of the pandemic.

Irked by the response, the court remarked, “The NAB continues to send call-up notices and arrest people despite the prevalent crisis but does little for those imprisoned.”

It asked the prosecutor when the anti-graft watchdog would submit the reply.

At this, the NAB prosecutor appealed to the court to set the next date for the hearing after summer vacations, by when the NAB would be able to submit the reply.

The court, however, turned down the request and ordered the NAB to submit the reply within 10 days. It further directed the prosecutor to send a copy of the court order to NAB chairperson and adjourned the hearing.

Assets beyond means case

Meanwhile, the court sought the progress report of inquiry against Pakistan Peoples Party leader Khursheed Shah’s frontman Pehlaj Mal and others accused in an assets beyond means case.

The NAB prosecutor informed the court that the inquiry against the accused was underway, adding, however, that it was facing delays due to the coronavirus crisis.

Extending the interim bails of the accused, the court ordered the NAB to submit the report by September 30.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2020.