Hearing adjourned: SHC declines govt’s plea for release of attached amount

He requested the court to recall its May 2012 order of attaching government coffers for failing to get a stay order.

KARACHI:

A division bench of the Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar, on Wednesday deferred till August 8, a plea by Sindh government seeking release of a huge amount attached against salaries to the judicial officials and officers.

The bench earlier heard Abdul Hafeez Pirzada advocate, counsel for Sindh government, who submitted that Nazir of the high court has attached 2.2 billion rupees against arrears of salary raise given to the judicial staff making their emoluments at par with their counterparts in Punjab and other provinces.

The counsel submitted that due to attachment of such a huge amount, the provincial government was facing financial hardship and its functions were being prejudiced. He requested to the court to recall its order passed in May 2012 for attaching the government coffers if it failed to obtain a stay order against the order of the bench or failed in making payment to the judicial officers. Salahuddin Ahmed advocate and Syed Haider Imam Rizvi advocate appearing for the petitioner officials opposed the government plea.

The bench declined the request made by the Sindh government for the release of rupees 2.2 billion and adjourned further proceedings till August 8.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2012.