SHC irked at suspension of KDA officers’ salaries

KDA plans to auction amenity plots to pay salaries and pensions, officials tell court

The Sindh High Court annulled on Wednesday the notification informing of the suspension of appointments and transfers at the Karachi Development Authority. Irked at the suspension of salaries of KDA's Grade-17 officers, a two-member bench, led by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, directed the issuance of officers' salaries from KDA accounts.

What was their fault that their salaries were stopped, inquired Justice Mazhar during the hearing of a plea challenging the notification alerting the Grade 17 officers' salaries' suspension.

How will the officers in question earn their livelihood, the judge inquired expressing annoyance at the suspension. If there is no money to pay pensions, will the salaries of officers currently in service be suspended, asked Justice Mazhar.

At this, KDA officers present at the hearing broke into an applause and were refrained from doing so by the court.

During the hearing, relevant officials informed the bench that the KDA plans to auction amenity plots.

The authority will be auctioning 137 amenity plots, said the KDA director-general.

"How can you auction amenity plots," asked Justice Mazhar.

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In reply the DG said that the authority's conditions would improve with the money received from auctioning the plots.

The plots will be auctioned in six months, observed Justice Mazhar. "What will be done till then? How will these officers eat during this time," he inquired.

During the hearing the Sindh advocate-general maintained that Rs500 million were given to the KDA in the past year.

At which the bench directed him to ask the Sindh government to consider KDA's request for loans.

The court directed the authority to pay the salaries of current officers from KDA accounts and directed that only the salaries should be paid from these accounts. Besides, the court directed the provincial government to take measures to financially assist the KDA and quashed the notification informing of the suspension of promotions and transfers at the authority.

Disputed islands

The same bench, while hearing the plea contesting the federation's claim on Dingi and Bundal islands, sought a written reply from the Centre over the contract to install a desalination plant on Bundal Island.

The assistant attorney-general of Pakistan maintained that the controversial Pakistan Island Development has lapsed. The Ordinance was promulgated by the federal government on September 22, 2020 and expired on January 3, 2021, he informed the court.

At this, the bench remarked that the matter is over for now and will be considered once a new Ordinance is issued.

Meanwhile, petitioner advocate Shahab Usto contended that the Ordinance may have lapsed but the Centre has signed an agreement with Netherlands to install a desalination plant on Bundal Island.

Following this, the court sought a written reply from the federal lawyer at the next hearing slated for February 17.

Earlier, the bench had directed that Centre must inform the court of its position on the islands after the lapsing of the Ordinance.

Liquor shop

Separately, the SHC issued notices to the Sindh government, provincial excise and taxation director-general, police and a liquour shop over a petition contending that a wine shop being opened in a Muslim-majority area.

The petitioner's counsel, advocate Usman Farooq, argued that a wine shop is being opened in a Muslim-majority area in Bufferzone in the vicinity of mosques and madressahs. He contended that this was against the law and the parties should be restricted from doing.

The court sought replies from the parties and relevant authorities by February 10 and adjourned the hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2021.