SHC allows petition against IRSA on water shortage

Court also directs KDA to construct park on amenity plot

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court has admitted a petition regarding the water crisis in the province and fixed it for hearing on May 18.

The petition contended that there is a shortage of water in Sindh and the province was not being given its share. "There is no water for drinking and agriculture in Sindh, while animals are also dying," the petitioner stated.

"IRSA is well aware of this issue but the water supply is still blocked. Millions of people in the province are affected and the land is becoming barren."

It asked that an order may be issued to submit a report to the court on water shortage in Sukkur, Guddu and Kotri barrages. The petitioner urged a judicial inquiry into water theft and abuse of power. "IRSA should be bound to give Sindh its due share of water. IRSA, Ministry of Water Resources and Secretary Agriculture have been made parties in the case.

Construction of park ordered

The SHC has directed the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and the Cantonment Board Faisal to construct a park or playground on an amenity plot in Gulistan-e-Johar Block-13. The court announced this decision on a petition against converting the amenity plot into a garbage dump.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi, heard the petition. The petitioner's counsel contended that a garbage dump had been created in the populated area. There is a girls' college next to the amenity plot.

"Residents of the area are facing severe pain due to garbage. Relevant authorities were approached, but no action was taken. The garbage dump should be removed and the amenity plot should be restored," the petitioner asserted.

Read More: Sindh cabinet concedes water shortage in system

Meanwhile, the court expressed displeasure over the garbage dump in the middle of the populated area. The court ordered removing the garbage dump within 30 days. The court directed KDA and Cantonment Board Faisal to restore the amenity plot by constructing a park or playground on it.

Decision annulled

The SHC has also annulled a trial court's decision on the appeal in a murder case against ASI Tariq and other police personnel, It ordered that the case be send back to the lower court for rehearing.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice KK Agha, passed the verdict. The court quashed the decision of the special anti-terrorism court. The court ruled that the case did not fall into the category of terrorism. Therefore, the hearing should be reconducted in the sessions court.

The special court had sentenced accused ASI Tariq, Sher Muhammad and others to death. The accused had killed a man named Maqsood in an alleged police encounter near PAF Base Faisal on Shahra-e-Faisal in January, 2018.

Fake domiciles

The Sindh High Court has adjourned the hearing of fake domicile case till May 24. The bench heard the petition of MQM regarding making of fake domiciles for securing Sindh government jobs. The public prosecutor requested that the hearing be adjourned. The Assistant Advocate General stated that negotiations were taking place between to sort out the issue. The court sought TORs, including a notification from the PPP and MQM negotiating committee. The court also sought the report of the committees headed by the commissioner and deputy commissioner to investigate the domicile issue. Khawaja Izhar objected to the TOR of the negotiating committee. He stated that TORs are not related to the negotiating committee in this case.

Public Prosecutor Sandeep Kumar said that the government had constituted a committee on the complaints regarding fake domiciles. The committee checked 423 domiciles in four districts out of which 150 domiciles were identified as fake.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2022.