Utility officials summoned in Karachi unrest case

KARACHI:

The federal interior secretary along with the officials of the Karachi Electric Supply Company, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, and National Alien Registration Authority (NARA) have been summoned by a committee of Sindh High Court monitoring the implementation of the Supreme Court orders in its suo motu case on Karachi unrest.

This was disclosed by Chief Justice of Sindh High Court in an informal chat with the press here on Wednesday at Mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam where he accompanied Chief Justice of Egypt, Justice Muhammad Hussamuddin el–Gheriyani, to lay floral wreath and offer fateha.

Justice Alam did not give date of the next meeting but stating the reason for summoning these officials, he said that the apex court judgment called upon the government to take measures to deweaponize the city and to end all ‘No Go Areas’ while NARA and utility organisations were summoned as they were providing protection and facilities to the foreigners staying illegally in the city.

Judiciary would, however, continue to issue directions as it may deem fit because when the executive fails in delivering what is expected from it, some institution has to swing into action, he said adding that “government apparently do not have political will to make Karachi a weapon-free city.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2012.