The Sindh High Court directed the provincial government on Wednesday to submit a plan with a permanent solution to avoid destruction when it rains in Karachi.
Hearing a plea seeking an investigation into flooding in the city during rainfall, a two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed, summoned the local government secretary in a personal capacity.
The petitioner maintained that the city was paralysed due to the authorities' negligence during the recent rains, while at least 41 people died in separate rain-related incidents.
He prayed the court to direct authorities to take action against those responsible for the deaths and destruction, and sought the removal of encroachments from nullahs.
When asked by the bench about efforts being undertaken to address issues emerging in the city after rainfall, the additional relief secretary said the Sindh government would be initiating various projects along with the Centre, referring to the Karachi Transformation Plan.
The court sought a permanent solution from the Sindh government, ordering the respondents to submit replies by October 28.
Missing persons
Meanwhile, another bench comprising Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Shamsuddin Abbasi directed the investigation officer (IO) to submit a report after collecting information from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
The bench was hearing a case pertaining to recovery of missing persons.
The police earned the court's ire for their failure to recover missing persons. "Who are these people in uniforms who pick up citizens and the police fails to find them?" asked Justice Kalhoro. "Such elements must have the support of the police."
The IO said that according to the family of a missing person, Adil, those who abducted him were dressed in plainclothes and police uniforms, but law enforcement agencies (LEAs) denied detaining him.
He added that the CTD has not responded to the letter regarding Adil's disappearance.
Expressing annoyance, Justice Kalhoro directed that the CTD in-charge be summoned and asked about Adil.
Similarly, the family of Azazuddin, another missing person, told the court that the media claimed Azazuddin had been arrested by LEAs, but the IO said they had denied these claims.
The court directed the IO to inquire about this information from the journalist who reported on Azazuddin's arrest.
The bench sought a report from the IO, with information from the CTD in-charge, at the next hearing, warning that it would otherwise issue arrest warrants for the CTD in-charge.
Cryptocurrency
Separately, the bench sought details of international laws on cryptocurrency from the Centre, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) while hearing a plea against the ban on cryptocurrency.
The petitioner prayed the court to restrain the FIA from taking action against users of digital currency.
The bench expressed annoyance at the SBP and asked why Pakistan wasn't benefitting from the technology when the entire world was using it.
The SBP's counsel responded that there was no ban but cryptocurrency had not yet been regularised.
In the SBP's written reply, it opposed the applicability of cryptocurrency in the country. It denied claims of investment being blocked due to such a ban and stated that an advisory has been issued regarding digital currency. Besides, it added, no legal tender for trade in digital currency had been issued by the bank.
The bench remarked that it could not provide interim relief and a final verdict will be given.
VIP security
Meanwhile, in a plea seeking security for Pakistan Peoples Party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the SHC sought the federal policy on provision of security to political leaders.
The petitioner claimed that the Sindh government provided good security to Bilawal but the Centre did not cooperate on this matter when he travelled across the country.
The Ministry of Interior sought an extension to submit its reply.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2020.
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