KARACHI, Jan 27: The Sindh High Court asked the federal archaeology department on Thursday to submit a copy of the catalogue of antiques, artefacts and books kept by it in the city.
Appearing in response to a notice in a writ petition, the archaeology department director-general stated that there was no plan to shift the priceless objects of antiquity from Karachi. In fact, the department was compiling a catalogue and microfilm of the books and objects for their safekeeping. The process was likely to be completed in March, he said.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad and Justice Maqbool Baqar asked the DG to place the catalogue on the court's record as and when it was ready and adjourned further hearing of the petition to a date in office.
The petition was moved by Fahim Zaman Khan, former administrator of the (defunct) Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, and seven others through Advocate Iqbal Haider in 2002 when moves were reportedly afoot to shift the books and antiquities from Karachi to the Lahore Fort, Taxila or Islamabad.
The respondent department and the parent ministry of culture made a quick denial and when the petitioners expressed their dissatisfaction, backed it up by a more categorical statement.
Deputy Attorney-General Nadeem Azhar Siddiqui reaffirmed on Thursday that there was no move to shift the books and artefacts. If the shifting was required for exhibition, proper arrangements would be made for their safe handling and transport.
All steps would be taken to avoid any risk and an inventory of items to be shifted would be prepared. The objects would be brought back to Karachi immediately after their display, the DAG said.
NAZIMS' CASE: Another division bench comprising Justices Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Zia Pervez adjourned to Feb 1 a writ petition moved by the relieved nazims of the four bifurcated districts of the province.
The adjournment was requested by Advocate-General Anwar Mansoor Khan due to indisposition. The bench allowed the request and fixed Feb 1 for further arguments by the AG.
TV NETWORK: Justice Mushir Alam of the Sindh High Court on Thursday issued a television network notice for Feb 16 in an injunction plea and restrained it from tele casting or re broadcasting the plaintiff's channel's programmes in the meanwhile.
The plaintiff Star Group submitted through Advocate Ejaz Ahmed that it was operating a number of costly entertainment and sports channels. It had the exclusive right to broadcast, rebroadcast, distribute and redistribute the programmes created or acquired by it in 63 countries, including Pakistan.
The defendant, the plaintiff alleged, was distributing and re broadcasting the group's programmes in Pakistan unauthorizedly and thereby violating the provisions of the Copyright and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Ordinances.
The defendant, it alleged, was pirating its signal and realizing Rs350 per month per TV set from its viewers. The plaintiff claimed damages amounting to Rs100 million for the loss caused to it; permanent injunction against infringement of its copyright; rendition of accounts by the defendant and payment to it of the entire income earned by the defendant through unauthorized re broadcasting. It said the defendant ignored a Pemra restraint order issued to it earlier.
