SHC seeks MNA’s reply over fake degree accusations

The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued on Monday notices to Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Shazia Marri and other accused over a plea pertaining to fake degrees.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed, was hearing the case, where the petitioner's counsel submitted the amended plea.

The petitioner maintained in the plea that Marri, who had been elected from the former constituency NA-235 in Sanghar - now changed to NA-216 - presented a fake degree, owned by a woman bearing the same name from Lyari, in order to participate in the elections.

The plea moved the court to declare Marri ineligible.

The court issued notices to Marri and others accused in the case, seeking replies on September 22.

Demarcation of constituencies

The SHC also issued notices to parties over a plea challenging the demarcation of constituencies for the local body elections before receiving the final results of the population census.

The petitioner pointed out that the final census results had not been issued anywhere in the country, and therefore, the constituencies for the local government elections could not be defined.

The plea moved the court to restrict the authorities from defining new constituencies.

The court issued notices to the statistics department, the Election Commission of Pakistan and other parties, seeking replies on September 24.

Urban flooding

Meanwhile, Advocate Nadeem Shaikh filed a petition seeking a transparent investigation into those responsible for the recent rain-related destruction and urban flooding in Karachi.

The petitioner stated that the city was completely paralysed after the downpour as a result of the city administration's negligence.

He claimed that at least 41 people lost their lives in different rain-related incidents, while encroachments and illegal construction led to flooding across the city.

The plea moved the court to order the authorities to launch an investigation, adding that action should be taken against those responsible for the havoc, while affected citizens should be compensated and encroachments removed from the nullahs and other spots immediately.

The provincial governor, chief minister, chief secretary, home department, local government secretary, city commissioner, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board managing director and all cantonment boards have been nominated as parties in the plea.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2020.