SHC seeks progress on Zainab Alert Act

Separate bench orders shifting of Bahadurabad police station from private property

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the federal government to submit a reply to a petition seeking implementation of the 'Zainab Alert Act-2020' and the establishment of a universal helpline.

Appearing before a twomember SHC bench, headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh, the petitioner's counsel submitted that the Zainab Alert Response and Recovery Act, was passed two years ago but has yet not been implemented.

He further submitted that the federal government has only framed rules related to appointments, while the actual implementation of the law has not happened.

Addressing the Deputy Attorney General, the Chief Justice remarked: "There are only appointment rules. When will the full implementation [of the law] take place?"

He directed the federal government to submit a reply under Section 5 of the Zainab Alert Response and Recovery Act.

The petitioner took the plea that the Act was passed in March 2020 which envisaged constitution of a 'Child Protection Advisory Board', but it has not been done yet.

The petitioner sought a court direction to the federal government to immediately implement the Act to prevent child abduction incidents in the country.

Meanwhile, a two-judge SHC bench, headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar, took up a petition against the construction of Bahadurabad police station on a private land.

Justice Akhtar expressed his anger and remarked that he would summon the provincial Chief Secretary if the court order was not implemented.

The Additional Advocate General informed the bench that a government committee has met to decide the transfer of the police station.

But the Chief Justice remarked the committee had not been able to solve the problem for so many years.

"This is bound to happen if incompetent people are included in the committee," he further remarked.

The Additional Advocate General stated that the piece of land on which the police station has been built did not belong to the petitioner.

"Whether the petitioner owns it or not, it is not state land. The police station has to be transferred from there," Justice Akhtar shot back before giving the government 30 days to implement its order.

The petitioner has stated that his 300 square yards of leased land has been occupied and a police station has been built on it.

He prayed the court order demolition of the police station and hand the land back to him.