The high court has asked for a report on how many streets and roads have been blocked temporarily or permanently in Karachi due to security concerns or VVIP culture.
A Sindh High Court division bench was hearing a miscellaneous application filed by Advocate Amir Aziz seeking removal of blockades from some of the busiest roads in the city.
Citing the examples of the blocked road in front of the Sindh Assembly and the one leading toward Sindh Secretariat, the plaintiff contended that police were not allowing citizens from using the roads in violation of Section 339 of the Pakistan Penal Code as well as Article 4 of the constitution.
Referring to an undertaking given by police officers in court on the issue of closing roads in 1992, Advocate Aziz added that now the police were again denying access to public on different roads.
The petitioner appealed to the court to order the removal of blockades from various thoroughfares in Karachi.
After hearing his preliminary arguments, the judges directed the authorities to submit their report as to how many streets and roads in city have been temporarily or permanently blocked. Notices were also issued to the president and the secretary of the SHC Bar Association to assist the court. The court also directed the SHC Registrar to file a report on the applications filed by different judges, who face difficulties in getting access to their workplace.
The hearing was put off to a date that will be fixed later.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2012.
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