SHC summons authorities over urban flooding plea

Petitioner claims urban flooding was result of encroachments in Karachi

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court issued on Tuesday notices to the Sindh chief minister, governor, chief secretary, local government secretary, Karachi commissioner and other parties over a plea seeking transparent investigations against those responsible for the recent rain-related destruction and urban flooding in Karachi and sought replies.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed, was hearing the plea, where the petitioner, Nadeem Shaikh, maintained that the city was paralysed during the recent monsoon rainfall and the negligence of the city's administration caused severe inconvenience to the citizens.

He claimed that encroachments and illegal constructions in the city caused urban flooding, putting the lives of citizens at risk.

Shaikh moved the court to order the authorities to launch an investigation, take action against those responsible for the city's condition and compensate affected citizens for their losses.

The court issued notices to the provincial chief secretary, governor, chief minister, home department, local government secretary, city commissioner, all cantonment boards, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board managing director and other parties, seeking their replies on September 9.

Missing persons

Meanwhile, a separate bench, comprising Justice Nazar Akbar and Justice Abdul Mobin Lakho, ordered the relevant authorities to submit a progress report within seven days after taking disciplinary action against the investigation officer (IO) for his alleged negligence in a case pertaining to the recovery of a citizen, while hearing pleas of more 20 missing persons.

Irked at the poor performance of the IOs, Justice Akbar asked whether the court should summon the Sindh IGP again or send these officials to him.

He added that the IOs did not follow the standard operating procedures for the recovery of missing persons, while only informing the court that two joint investigation teams had completed their reports.

He added that the people had been missing for years, lambasting the IOs' performance in the matter.

The court rejected a plea pertaining to the disappearance of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board employee Abdur Raheem, remarking that just because a person went missing, it did not mean that they had been detained by the police or Rangers.

"Has anyone seen the police or Rangers officials taking Raheem with them?" the judge asked.

The court sought complete details regarding missing citizens Ateequr Rehman and Shafiq from the police.

The Sindh advocate general informed the court that another missing citizen, Fazal Badshah, had returned home.

The court directed the relevant authorities to present Badshah in court within two days.

Meanwhile, it also dismissed some pleas of the same nature that had not been pursued for a long period.

The court directed the relevant authorities to submit a progress report within seven days after taking disciplinary action against the IO for his alleged negligence in the case about the recovery of a missing citizen, Abdur Rauf.

SHC summons agriculture secretary

Separately, the bench comprising Justice Mazhar and Justice Sayeed summoned the Sindh agriculture secretary in a personal capacity at the next hearing of a plea pertaining to the nomination of a council chairperson in the Sindh Consumer Protection Court (SPSC) and appointment of the director-general (DG) in the Bureau of Supply.

The petitioner maintained that the Sindh government had not appointed a permanent head and chairperson of the council in the SPSC since 2011, causing a delay of over two years in the hearing of hundreds of pleas.

Meanwhile, he added that the Directorate of Weight and Measure's controller Javed Qaimkhani had been given temporary charge as Bureau of Supply's DG for the last 11 years.

Shehzad moved the court to order the CM to appoint a chairperson of the council in SPSC and a permanent DG for the Bureau of Supply.

The court adjourned the hearing till November and summoned the Sindh agriculture secretary in a personal capacity at the next hearing.