SHC stays FIR on KMC

Court halts FIA action in cotton exchange ownership dispute

KARACHI:

The Constitutional Bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday issued a stay order in favour of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) in connection with a petition concerning the ownership dispute of the Pakistan Cotton Exchange (PCE) building.

During the proceedings, Mayor Murtaza Wahab, accompanied by his legal counsel, Advocate Haider Waheed, argued that the building had been unlawfully sealed, and an FIR had been registered against KMC officials on December 13, 2023.

Advocate Waheed contended that the actions taken by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), including sealing the iconic building and filing the FIR, were unconstitutional and prayed the court set them aside.

The court ordered that no further action be taken regarding the FIR until the next hearing. Advocate Waheed also informed the court that the FIA, with the assistance of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), had sealed the Cotton Exchange building on December 12, citing compliance with directives from the Supreme Court. He further argued that different sections of the building had been informally rented out to multiple tenants, which had caused complications in the ownership dispute.

The SHC, after hearing the arguments, issued a stay order in favour of KMC, preventing any further proceedings in relation to the FIR and the sealing of the building. The court restrained the FIA from taking any further action in connection with the case until the next hearing.

Notices were subsequently issued to all concerned parties, including the FIA, ETPB, and the chief secretary, to submit their written replies by January 9, 2024.

In the petition, the KMC has named several parties as respondents, including the FIA, the ETPB, the chief secretary, and other relevant authorities.

The Pakistan Cotton Exchange building, located in the heart of the city's commercial district, holds historical and architectural value, making the ownership dispute a matter of public interest.