Judges’ shortage at NAB courts delaying graft cases adjudication

SHC orders registrar to submit written response

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed its Registrar to submit a written response regarding shortage of judges in accountability courts which is causing delay in the adjudication of corruption references worth billions of rupees.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar, issued instructions on a reference sent to the SHC regarding transfer of cases to active courts.

The reference states that cases pending in vacant courts should be transferred to active courts. Out of 10 accountability courts in Karachi, five have been vacant for the past several months. Justice Ghaffar enquired how they could issue a court order for transfer of cases.

While addressing the SHC registrar, the bench said you can transfer the cases under an administrative order. The court directed the registrar to submit a written reply.

Meanwhile, an accountability court on Saturday accepted PSP Syed Mustafa Kamal's plea for exemption from appearance in a reference related to alleged illegal allotment of plots in Clifton.

Kamal did not appear before the court on Saturday while an application for exemption from appearance was submitted on his behalf. The court granted the request.

Other accused named in the reference appeared in the court. The court adjourned the hearing till December 10.

Separately, a two-judge SHC bench, headed by Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi, has ordered inspection of a historic building on MA Jinnah Road and submission of report within 15 days.

The bench was hearing a petition regarding the declaration of the historic Mules Mansion on MA Jinnah Road dangerous. Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the building was constructed in 1929. In 1984, the government declared it dangerous. The building is a derelict condition and hence warrants inspection. Mules Mansion is a historical building located on Plot No. 37 along MA Jinnah Road.

The court ordered that the technical committee of Sindh Building Control Authority (SCBA) to inspect the building. Archaeological Department officials, the petitioner, and other concerned authorities should also be present during the inspection, the court ordered.

A report should be submitted on what steps have been taken to restore the building to its original condition. A report on the current situation should also be submitted after inspecting the building.

Justice Rizvi said in his remarks that there were valuable buildings in Karachi but they have been ruined. "Precious buildings and archeological sites are protected around the world, but we are waiting for the building to be destroyed," he remarked and asked "what steps had been taken to secure the archaeological building?"

The bench also ordered that its orders should be sent to the Sindh Chief Secretary and DG SBCA for implementation. The hearing was adjourned for three weeks.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2022.