KARACHI: City govt told not to recover fee on animals
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 30: The Sindh High Court warned on Friday that no animal brought to the city for slaughter or sale shall be charged at the rate of Rs 150 per head fixed for milch cattle.
Cattle traders submitted through Advocate Navin Merchant that the contractor (M/s Qalandar Bux and Company) licensed by the city district government to recover the fee levied on the entry of milch cattle was recovering the same amount (Rs 150 per animal) from the traders bringing their herds for sale or slaughter.
The city district government said in its rejoinder that the fee of Rs 150 was prescribed for milch cattle only. Since the CDGK was finding it difficult to recover it, a fee collection contract was awarded to M/s Qalandar Bux for the fiscal 2005-06. The contractor was authorized to recover the fee on the milch cattle only at the prescribed rate.
The fee on animals meant for slaughter, it transpired during the proceedings, was levied by Bin Qasim Town Council. But the rate fixed by the council was Rs 10 per cow or buffalo.
Disposing of the petition, a division bench comprising Justices M. Mujibullah Siddiqui and Sajjad Ali Shah, asked the city district government to ensure that the contractor did not exceed his authority and abides by the terms and conditions of the contract. The fee on animals other than milch cattle, the bench ordered, should be realized strictly in accordance with the law, rules, contract and rate.
The contractor shall be liable for punishment for contempt of court if he acted in violation of the court order and the petitioners well within their rights to agitate the matter before the court, the bench observed.
Medical seats: The Sindh High Court asked the provincial health secretary on Friday to file an affidavit in respect of admissions to the eight medical college seats reserved for the disabled in the province.
Petitioner Abdullah Maher submitted through Advocate Mohammad Nawaz Shaikh that he was eligible and qualified to get admission and was recommended by the medical board constituted for the purpose in September 2004. However, the final list of admitted candidates did not contain his name.
He approached the court in January 2005 and a division bench sought minutes of the relevant medical board meeting in respect of the various candidates.
The health department produced the minutes in respect of the petitioner only. The minutes carried the title and number of petition and the counsel raised the objection that the minutes were prepared after the filing of the petition.
The bench expressed its surprise how the minutes of a meeting held in September 2004 could carry the title and number of a petition filed in January 2005. It deplored that the minutes carried the signatures of seven senior doctors and professors, who were members of the board that interviewed the petitioner.
The bench asked the health secretary to file an affidavit and also the minutes of the board’s meetings dealing with the other candidates by Jan 17.
Notice issued: Justice Syed Zawwar Hussain Jaffery of the Sindh High Court issued notices for Jan 3 in a bail application moved by an alleged activist of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.
Sajid Jabbar was arrested from a house in Nazimabad No 3 in February 2004. Explosive substances were also recovered from the house. The case was referred to an anti-terrorism court, which made a reference to the SHC administrative judge for anti-terrorism courts.
The applicant said no witness was examined during the last 20 months. His bail application could also not be considered by the trial court due to the pendency of the reference.
He requested the high court to grant him bail pending the case. Justice Jaffery asked the trial court to submit a report on the case and issued a notice to the prosecution.
