SHC to take up pleas challenging Pakistan Islands Development Authority

Centre is entering international contracts, will later claim helplessness, remarks judge

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court accepted the request to conduct the immediate hearing of pleas challenging the federal government’s alleged takeover of Sindh’s islands.

A two-member bench, led by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, sought an immediate reply from the Centre over the contract signed with the Amsterdam Waste Environmental Consultancy Technology (AWECT), Netherlands, for a desalination plant on Bhandar Island.

The petitioner’s counsel contended that Attorney-General of Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan had claimed in court that stakeholders would be consulted regarding the matter but the Centre has been issuing tenders for construction activity on the island.

The AGP had assured the court that no activity will be carried out, noted Justice Mazhar.

The petitioner’s counsel maintained that the Centre has signed a contract for a desalination plant on the island with Netherlands. He argued that the issuing of tenders and signing of agreements by the federal government were cause for concern.

Where does it state in the tender advertisements issued that the Sindh government will not be taken in confidence, inquired the bench.

AGP Khalid maintained, however, that no tender has been issued as yet.

But the court observed that the AGP had assured no developmental activity bypassing the provincial government would be carried out. “The federal government is entering into contracts. Later it will say that nothing can be done about international contracts,” remarked Justice Mazhar.

The court accepted the request to conduct an immediate hearing of the petitions challenging the Pakistan Islands Development Authority (PIDA) Ordinance, promulgated earlier this year. The bench issued notices to the Centre seeking its reply on the matter of the desalination plant by January 15, 2021.

Medical negligence

Separately, the SHC directed the Dow University of Health Sciences to provide a prosthetic arm to a child who lost his arm after the wrong injection was administered to him at a private hospital.

The petitioner informed the court that the private hospital’s administration was threatening the parents of the child who had suffered from negligence. The child’s father claimed they were being threatened by the hospital’s administration through a political party, pressing them to take back their plea.

The hospital owner, though, maintained the administration had not threatened anyone.

The court inquired whether an artificial arm could be provided and the government lawyer said that this medical facility was available at DUHS.

The court directed the DUHS administration to provide a prosthetic arm to the child.

Amenity plot

The SHC issued notices to the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) director-general, the provincial chief secretary and other parties over a plea against construction on an amenity plot in Federal B Area despite restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court.

The petitioner’s counsel contended that illegal construction work was being carried out on a one-acre amenity plot in Federal B Area, which is reserved for a park and car parking.

The court sought replies from the Sindh chief secretary, the SBCA DG and other parties, seeking their replies at the next hearing.