Police directed to record statements of affected families

ECP cannot be restricted from hearing complaints against Vawda now, says SHC

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court directed the police on Tuesday to record statements of the families affected by the Keamari gas leak.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Amjad Ali, was hearing a plea pertaining to deaths caused by toxic gas near the Karachi port.

The bench inquired about the progress made in the investigations thus far.

Following the submission of a progress report by the police, the Keamari investigation SP sought a three-week extension to submit his reply.

Read: ‘No toxic elements found during forensic investigation’

The court sought another progress report from the police after recording the statements of the families and adjourned the hearing.

At least 14 persons were killed and several others were injured in a mysterious gas leak in Keamari on February 16, 2020.

At the last hearing, the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency submitted a report concluding that the quality of air at the Karachi port, the oil terminal and the port's nearby areas was injurious to health.

Vawda's plea

The same bench sought a detailed reply from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and recently elected senator Faisal Vawda's, plea challenging the ECP's decision pertaining to his disqualification.

During the hearing, the bench inquired about the Islamabad High Court's (IHC) order from Vawda's counsel, Barrister Moiz Ahmed.

The petitioner's counsel presented IHC's order before the court.

On March 7, the IHC had ruled that Vawda was an American national when he filed his nomination papers in 2018 and was therefore ineligible to contest the elections then as a dual national. During the hearing, the court observed that the IHC has directed the ECP to carry out investigation regarding Vawda's citizenship and disqualification.

Justice Mazhar asked the petitioner's counsel whether his client had approached the Supreme Court over IHC's order.

As the hearing progressed, the court questioned whether the ECP had taken any steps regarding Vawda's case.

The ECP representative replied that the case has been facing delays as the recently elected senator was not submitting his reply.

Read more: ECP announces by-polls in NA-249 for April 29

The bench further asked how many times Vawda had been summoned by the ECP.

The representative maintained that the PTI stalwart had been asked very simple questions but he did not reply to any of them.

The petitioner's counsel repeated his client's prayer and said that they only wanted for the ECP to be restricted from hearing the complaint.

The ECP cannot be restricted from hearing the complaint now, remarked the court.

It sought a detailed reply from the ECP on the next hearing slated for March 31.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2021.