SHC irked over closure of roads during PSL

Traffic SP says thoroughfares near National Stadium open for traffic

KARACHI:

The East district traffic SP informed the Sindh High Court on Friday that roads are open for traffic as far as he knew.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, was hearing a contempt plea alleging that the two main thoroughfares near the National Stadium Karachi have been blocked during the ongoing Pakistan Super League VI matches in violation of the court’s February 17 order.

The bench sought a written reply from the relevant authorities along with an affirmation on the matter. During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel, Barrister Salahuddin, informed the court that a citizen was shot and injured during a robbery but he couldn’t be shifted to the hospital due to the closure of roads and died. Snatching incidents have increased during traffic jams, remarked Justice Mazhar, addressing the East traffic SP.

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Did the traffic official require a notification for him to know that the security should be increased, rebuked the judge. The bench inquired about the perpetrators who shot the citizen. The court summoned the Central Investigation SSP in personal capacity and sought an explanation. The focal person of the Sindh IGP assured the court that all SHOs have been alerted. However, the bench was not satisfied and asked about the results achieved in this regard.

Meanwhile, the East traffic SP maintained that the traffic police were not barricading roads but that traffic was being diverted to alternative routes. He stated that the roads were open to the best of his knowledge. The court expressed annoyance at the traffic official’s reply. The Sindh government submitted before the court a confidential report pertaining to threats of an attack in the city.

At this, the bench observed that the threat was for the entire city and not just for the matches. “Who will be answerable for the death of a citizen,” the court asked. “Earlier, people used to be excited about matches being organised in their cities but now they are terrified even 20 days before the matches,” remarked Justice Mazhar.

Meanwhile, the SHC Bar Association submitted that they recommend stadiums be shifted to the outskirts of the city and players be accommodated in hotels inside the stadiums. The hearing concluded with the bench summoning the Sindh home department secretary and the Sindh AIG in personal capacity. The court sought a written reply along with an affirmation from the police over the contempt plea. Besides, the court sought an investigation report from the Sharifabad SHO over the alleged death of a citizen due to road closures.