A responsible body: SHC wants formation of commission to tackle Thar problem

High court asked to ensure that it does not contradict SC directives.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC), on Friday, called for the names of the members of the commission to be constituted with ‘broad responsibilities’ to mitigate and resolve the crisis in the drought-hit desert region of Thar.

Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, who headed the bench, sought the names after partial hearings on three identical petitions seeking an inquiry into the recent deaths and demanding provision of improved healthcare facilities to the residents of Thar.

“In view of the submissions made by the counsel and the material placed before us, we are of prima facie view that a suitable approach towards mitigation and resolution of the Thar tragedy would be the formation of a commission having broad responsibilities,” remarked Justice Baqar.

The bench, therefore, asked the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) lawyer and the law officers, including the provincial advocate-general (AG) and the deputy attorney-general, to suggest the composition and mandate of the commission.

However, Sindh AG Abdul Fateh Malik informed the bench that the Supreme Court (SC) has also taken up the matter. Therefore, it may be kept in mind that any order passed by the high court may not be consistent with the directives given by the SC.

“We are certainly mindful of the above and shall proceed accordingly,” Justice Baqar told the law officer.

Meanwhile, the AG expressed his reservations regarding the report of the Hyderabad DIG, Sanaullah Abbasi, on the grounds that the officer was not mandated to prepare and submit the report.

PILER’s lawyer, Faisal Siddiqui, refuted Malik’s claim, saying that the report has been prepared and submitted to the court in an authorised manner.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2014.