KARACHI: Monopoly of PNSC over oil shipment challenged
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Jan 24: A writ petition seeking termination of a 10-year contract between the country's oil refineries and the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) giving the latter monopoly on crude transportation has been fixed for hearing by the Sindh High Court on Feb 12.
The petition, filed by Advocate Aga Faquir Mohammad, also seeks a declaration that the contract of affreightment between the PNSC and M/s Polebros Shipping, who allegedly managed oil tankers Golden Gate and Tasman Spirit, which spilled huge quantities of crude oil at the Karachi port, was void. The petitioner maintained that the contract was awarded without inviting tenders and was a threat to the environment and economy of Karachi and Pakistan.
A direction is sought to the mercantile marine department to investigate the cause of the Golden Gate and Tasman Spirit incidents in August 2002 and July 2003, respectively. The directorate-general of ports and shipping, the petitioner requests, should be asked to lodge a complaint against the PNSC and M/s Polebros of Greece under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance. He also seeks payment of compensation to fishermen and other individuals and institutions who suffered on account of the shipping accidents.
PLEA DISPOSED OF: The Sindh High Court disposed of earlier this week a petition by a woman affected by the construction of the Lyari Expressway in terms of an assurance given by the city government.
Ms Hajira complained that a 1,581-square-yard plot was allotted to her late father by the settlement department and was being used as a mosque, madressah and residential accommodation when it was taken over and demolished for the construction of the expressway.
A division bench comprising Justices Sabihuddin Ahmed and Zia Perwez recalled that the court had decided a number of identical matters by a consolidated judgment. Directions were issued keeping in view the respective rights of the various categories of occupants.
It noted city government counsel Manzoor Ahmad's assurance on behalf of his client that it was willing to provide alternative space to the petitioner or compensate her and directed that the matter be settled within a month.
EXPLANATION SOUGHT: The Sindh High Court has sought comments from the Petroleum Refining and Petro Chemical Corporation (Perac) on a writ petition moved by nine of its employees against their dismissal from service.
The petitioners submitted through Advocate M. Nawaz Shaikh that they joined the corporation as its regular employees in different capacities and on different dates. The corporation was administratively merged into the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) in February 2000. Soon afterward they were transferred from the various units of the corporation to its Petroman division.
By another notification the division was transferred to the science ministry's information technology division and the petitioners went into the ministry's direct control. Though they were performing their duties satisfactorily, their services in Petroman were terminated in October 2003. Fresh orders were, however, issued the next month to first repatriate their services to Perac.
They said they reported for duty to the Perac chairman but he declined to let them join because no orders in respect of their continuation in service had been received from the parent IT ministry.
A division bench comprising Justices Anwar Zaheer Jamali and S. Ali Aslam Jafri directed earlier this week that notices be issued to the corporation and other respondents for Feb 6.
