The country’s top court on Thursday issued a contempt notice to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for the provincial government’s delay in approving the design of the Karachi Circular Railway’s (KCR) development work and awarding the contract for the project’s underpass to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, while hearing a suo motu case about the losses incurred by the Pakistan Railways and the KCR’s revival, also issued a notice to the railways secretary.
The court sought a reply from the Sindh chief minister and the railways secretary on the matter within two weeks.
During the proceedings, the chief justice inquired as to why the FWO had been unable to kick off its work on the KCR even though it was supposed to complete it within two months.
The FWO director general informed the court that the design of the KCR’s development work had been sent to the provincial government but it had not approved it so far.
The counsel for the FWO further told the court that Sindh government had not yet awarded the contract for an underpass for the KCR.
Interjecting the court proceedings, the Sindh transport secretary told the court that the FWO had demanded Rs25 million for the PC-1 of the project.
Expressing its displeasure, the court asked the transport secretary not to speak out of turn.
The CJ remarked that no malpractice would be allowed in the guise of a court order.
He added that the FWO was not working with any private entity for it to make profit from the contract.
"The construction of the underpass does not require Rs10 billion," the chief justice added.
The FWO director general further informed the court that the design for the project was to be provided by the railways, whereas the order for its construction was to come from the Sindh government. He added that FWO had already approved the design.
Justice Gulzar noted that work on the KCR's underpass and overhead bridges had been pending even after a lapse of three months, whereas it should have been completed in two months.
He then asked whether or not the modern KCR had a design. To this query, the railways secretary replied that the process to hire a design consultant was completed only a day ago.
On hearing this, the court observed that the railways secretary was not providing accurate information to the court. For this, the court issued a second notice to the secretary.
As the railways secretary attempted to give an explanation, the chief justice told him that he would be heard but after he had submitted his reply to the court.
“Two notices have already been issued to you [railways secretary]. Do you want us to serve you a third notice?" the CJ remarked.
"You haven't done anything for us... you have done it for the people," the top judge added. "You aren't doing anyone a favour, this is your job. Do not mislead us.”
Justice Ijazul Ahsan, who is also a member of the bench, told the railways secretary to mention everything in his report.
Issuing a contempt notice to the Sindh chief minister and railways secretary, the court adjourned the hearing for two weeks, directing them to submit their replies within that period.
Previously, the SC had issued contempt notices to the Sindh chief secretary and the railways secretary for not removing encroachments from the tracks of the KCR.
The court noted that despite its repeated orders the authorities had not started work for removing encroachments from the tracks of the KCR. Expressing displeasure over this non-compliance, the CJ noted that the bench would also summon the prime minister and Sindh chief minister, if needed.
However, after remaining nonfunctional for over 25 years, with a city of sorts built upon its sunken tracks, the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) was partially restored on November 19.
An inaugural function was held on the occasion which was attended by Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Rashid had said that "a powerful land mafia had usurped the land belonging to the KCR", and that the railways ministry was not receiving the political support needed to reclaim the land.
He added that the ministry was fully cooperating with the Sindh government, and that the provincial government had released the tenders to the FWO.
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