The Sindh High Court issued contempt notices to the Sindh IGP, the Sindh chief secretary and other relevant officials on Monday over a petition against widespread sale of gutka and mawa in Karachi's East district.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Irfan Sadaat Khan and Justice Faisal Kamal Alam summoned the officials in personal capacity on September 16.
The court was hearing a contempt plea seeking departmental action against all SHOs and head moharrars of East district's police stations based on the allegation that they were directly involved in the preparation and sale of gutka and mawa. The petitioner's counsel prayed the court to investigate intelligence reports and determine how many gutka and mawa factories are flourishing in the district under the patronage of SHOs.
The Sindh chief secretary, Sindh IGP, Karachi AIG, East DIG, East SSP, the superintendents (SPs) of Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Jamshed Quarters and Sohrab Goth police stations besides SHOs of Baloch Colony, Mehmoodabad, Jamshed Quarters, Soldier Bazaar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Ferozabad, Tipu Sultan, Brigade, Sachal, Mobina Town, SITE Super Highway, Sharae Faisal, PIB Colony, Bahadurabad and New Town police stations have been made party to the case.
Separately, hearing a similar petition against the sale of mawa and gutka, another bench comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Adnanul Karim Memon issued notices to the Sindh chief secretary, Sindh IGP, Karachi commissioner, Karachi AIG, East and Korangi DIGs and to SSPs and SHOs of Korangi and East district police stations.
The petitioner contended that despite the ban on gutka and mawa, they were readily available in the market. The petitioner sought action against responsible elements.
The plea moved the court to ensure implementation of the ban on manufacture and sale of gutka and mawa. The bench issued notices to the relevant officials, seeking their replies.
Absent IOs
Meanwhile, another bench comprising Justice KK Agha and Justice Irshad Ali Shah directed the Federal Investigation Agency investigation officer (IO) to ensure his presence at the next hearing of the graft inquiry against the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD).
Both the FIA IO and the National Accountability Bureau's inquiry officer were absent at the hearing of the case pertaining to the alleged embezzlement of Zakat funds by the NICVD administration.
Replying to the court's query, the NAB prosecutor apprised that the inquiry officer was absent. During the hearing, the FIA prosecutor informed the court that in a separate case the Supreme Court had directed the removal of the IO handling this case.
The bench directed the FIA lawyer to ensure the IO's presence at the next hearing. The court denied the federal agency's request to adjourn the hearing.
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The NICVD administration has argued that the inquiries being carried out by the FIA and NAB are illegal and the federal agencies should be restricted from investigating the health facility.
The national anti-graft watchdog contends that NICVD hired employees who had no prior medical experience at hefty salaries and without due process. Members of the NICVD administration and staffers at the health facility have been accused of embezzling funds worth billions.
Counsel appointed
The same bench appointed a counsel for Saad Aziz, convicted by a military court in the Safoora massacre case, after learning that he could not afford to engage a private counsel. The bench was hearing Aziz alias Tin Tin's plea against the death sentence handed to him by a military court. The petitioner was produced before the court by jail authorities. At the court's inquiry, Aziz said that he did not have enough funds to engage a private counsel. He requested for a state-appointed counsel.
Accepting Aziz's request, the court appointed advocate Moula Bux Bhutto as his counsel and adjourned the hearing till September 23.
A military court had sentenced Aziz and others to death after convicting them for their involvement in the killing of at least 43 citizens and injury to several others as they opened fire inside a bus carrying members of the Ismaili community near Safoora Chowk in 2015.
Aziz and other convicts in the case have argued that the military court did not conduct the trial according to the law.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2021.
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