KARACHI, Jan 31: The Sindh High Court stayed on Friday the recovery of enhanced cattle entry fees into Bin Qasim and Malir towns till Feb 4, when a writ petition questioning their validity would come up for hearing.

The petition, moved by a cattle merchants welfare association, through Advocate Mrs Navin Merchant, says the Bin Qasim and Malir town committees have exorbitantly and arbitrarily increased the fees for a few weeks just before and after Eidul Azha. The increase is against public interest as it is likely to result in a rise of prices of sacrificial animals.

The petition says according to the fee schedule published in the Sindh government gazettes, the Bin Qasim committee cannot charge more than Rs2 for a sheep or a goat, Rs5 for a cow or a buffalo and Rs10 for a camel.

Similarly, the Malir committee can recover Re1 for a goat, Rs3 for a cow and Rs4 for a camel. The fees have been increased manifold, the maximum being Rs100 for a camel.

As the petition came up before a division bench, comprising Justice S. A. Sarwana and Justice Muhammad Mujibullah Siddiqui, Advocate Muhammad Nawaz Shaikh filed his power of attorney on behalf of the respondent committees and sought time for submitting a counter-affidavit. The bench adjourned the hearing to Feb 4 and directed the committees to charge the fees in accordance with the old schedules in the meanwhile.

DEATH SENTENCE: An appellate bench of the High Court of Sindh allowed on Friday an appeal filed by an accused sentenced to death in a murder case, adds APP.

The bench comprised Justice Shabbir Ahmed and Justice Azizullah Memon.

The bench also rejected the reference for confirmation of death while allowing the appeal filed by Abdul Hussain.

According to the prosecution, the accused/appellant on 16-9-1995 fired at Zamir Hussain who died on the spot.