KARACHI, Jan 15: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Zahid Kurban Alavi and Justice S. Ali Aslam Jaffery on Thursday put off the hearing of a constitutional petition against the KPT, the EPA and others till Feb 12.

The bench directed the AAG Sindh, Sarwar Khan, who appeared for the EPA to file comments by the next date of hearing. DAG Syed Zaki Mohammed represented the PNSC while Justice (Retd) Shaiq Usmani appeared for the KPT, Marine Mercantile Department and other official respondents.

Agha Faquir Mohammad filed the petition challenging contract between oil refineries and the PNSC giving exclusive right for 10 years to transport oil from outside Pakistan to oil refineries.

Making the KPT, the PNSC, Polembros Shipping of Greece, Mercantile Marine Department and Director-General Ports and Shippings, Ministry of Communication respondents in the petition, he maintained that oil refineries were compelled to enter into contract with the PNSC at a rate which was directly affecting the prices of petroleum products".

The PNSC entered into a contract of affraightment with Polembros Shipping for transportation of crude oil without calling national or international tenders, the petitioner maintained, adding that the respondent Greek company has an old fleet of single hull type vessels and is denied entry by a number of ports elsewhere in the world.

The petitioner also submitted that Mt Golden Gate of respondent Polembros was involved in a tragedy earlier on Aug 14, 2002, in which 1300 tonnes of crude oil was spilled killing thousands of fish in the sea off Karachi Coast.

"The KPT authorities at that time misguided people and media by saying that the dead fish was dumped by foreign trawler. As the respondents did not care about safety of port, environmental degradation due to Golden Gate tragedy of Tasman Spirit devastated the coastal environment of Karachi city, submitted the petitioner.-APP