SHC seeks replies over bills issued to airport eatery

Plea states food franchise was sent water, gas, electricity bills for the time airport was shut

The Sindh High Court sought replies on Thursday from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) director-general, manager of Jinnah International Airport, federal law secretary and Sindh government on a plea pertaining to bills issued to a food franchise at the Karachi airport for water, electricity and gas consumption.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar and comprising Justice Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan, was hearing the plea, which stated that the Dunkin Donuts franchise at the airport was sent a bill worth Rs4.4 million on account of water, electricity and gas consumption between February and August.

The plea contends
the airport remained
closed due to the coronavirus pandemic during this time.

The petitioner's lawyer informed the court that the food franchise was sent a final notice for the payment of the bills on January 4.

"Why should the bill be paid for a duration for which the airport remained closed?" argued the lawyer.

The court issued notices to the CAA DG, manager of the airport, federal law secretary and Sindh government, seeking their replies on the plea on January 14.

Intezar murder case

Meanwhile, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Abdul Mobeen Lakho, directed that the bail pleas of police officials Tariq Rahim and Tariq Mahmood, who are accused in the Intezar murder case, be transferred to the relevant bench.

The court stated that the pleas were to be heard by the same bench that had heard them before.

Additional SHO Tariq Rahim has been denied bail twice.

A Malaysia-returned student, Intezar Ahmed, was shot dead on January 13, 2018 on Khayaban-e-Ittehad of Karachi's upscale DHA neighbourhood after officials and personnel of the Anti-Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) resorted to indiscriminate fire on his white Toyota Corolla.

Eight ACLC officials have been arrested in the case and one of them has been released on bail.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2021.