Court takes notice of illegal charged parking fee

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed Director Charged Parking KMC and DMC South to appear at the next hearing on a petition against charging of illegal parking fee in Karachi.

During the hearing, the court inquired about the vehicles against which parking fee is charged. "Is the fee charged for a few hours or for the whole day?" the court inquired. The court asked the counsel for DMC South, "Do you auction the parking contract?" The DMC South's counsel told the court that tenders are issued for awarding parking contracts.

The court asked, "Where do you use the money you get in the contract?" The counsel explained that roads are built and work on sidewalks is carried out. The court questioned the DMC counsel as to whose job was it to remove garbage from the dustbins installed in the middle of the roads.

The KMC's counsel argued that garbage collection from dustbins was the job of Sindh Solid Waste Management. "Is the three-line parking on the road yours," the court remarked.

The DMC's lawyer stated that they were allowed parking only in one lane. The court remarked, "The [charged] parking places are everywhere and young children receive parking fees. At some places even Afghan boys charge a parking fee. With whose permission do they charge parking fees?"

The DMC South's counsel said that cases have been registered against them for illegally charging the parking fee. The court directed DMC South to submit all the details regarding the issuance of parking tender and submit reply to all the parties by February 21.

Repatriation of prisoners

In a significant progress on a petition for repatriation of Pakistani prisoners lodged in Indian jails, the Sindh High Court (SHC) disposed of the petition while directing the petitioner to approach the relevant authority upon submission of reply by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The High Court heard a petition seeking repatriation of prisoners lodged in Indian jails. The reply, submitted to the court by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, states that Pakistani citizens Nazir Ahmed, Saeed Sabir, Khalid Mahmood and Muhammad Imran are lodged in Indian jails. All four Pakistanis are serving life sentences. Muhammad Osama, Ghulam Farid, Wasim Noor, Taseem Azeem and 14 other prisoners have completed their sentence.

The petitioner had written several letters to the prime minister, the president and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Details have been obtained by sending all the letters to the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi.

The issue of return of prisoners has been raised with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs that steps should be taken for the return of prisoners who have completed their sentence.

"We are working hard for the return of prisoners and will ensure the security and safety of every Pakistani," the reply said. "This issue should be looked at on a priority basis as it is a matter of human compassion," it added.