KARACHI: Notice issued to govt in custodial death case
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 2: Justice Syed Zawwar Hussain Jaffery of the Sindh High Court, who is holding an inquiry into the custodial death of Balochistan National Partyt activist, Mohammad Hasan Gichki, on Tuesday issued notices to the advocate-general in an application seeking suspension of jail officials accused of murder and another for recalling witnesses for cross examination.
Advocate Mohammad Ilyas Khan filed his power of attorney on behalf of the 10 jail officials, including superintendents and deputy superintendents of the Central Prison and Landi Jail, and requested that the witnesses who have appeared before the inquiry commission should be recalled for cross-examination. The witnesses included Qabar Ali Gichki, the deceased’s cousin who has lodged a murder case against 10 jail officials with the New Town police. The witnesses supported the complainant’s version.
Mr Ilyas Khan said while the provincial government was represented by an assistant advocate-general, there was nobody to appear on behalf of the nominated accused. He requested that he should be allowed to represent them and cross-examine witnesses on jail officials behalf lest they be condemned un heard. Justice Jaffery issued the AG a notice for Wednesday in the application for recall of witnesses.
Advocate Ghulam Shah, who is appearing for the friends and relatives of the deceased, said Hasan Gichki was an under-trial accused in two narcotics cases and was tortured and killed in the jail precincts. The witnesses were mostly prisoners who evidenced the maltreatment of Hasan Gichki. Being afraid of the jail superintendent and other officials, the prisoners would not be able to testify without fear or favour unless the accused officials were suspended from their high positions. In fact, the witnesses feared for their own lives. Justice Jaffery issued a notice to the AG in this application also.
Meanwhile, the confusion surrounding the post mortem reports continued on Tuesday as Dr Zubair Zaidi, head of the pathology department, Dow University of Medical Sciences, and Dr Asif Bhurgri, another histopathologist, made varying statements. The judge issued notices to the health and home secretaries to ensure presence of Dr Ghulam Mustafa Memon and Dr Shankar Lal of the Liaquat University of Health and Medical Sciences, Jamshoro, who were asked by the health department to finalize the second post mortem report, on Wednesday.
DRUG POLICY: The city district government has adopted a ‘highly’ transparent procurement policy to ensure supply of quality medicines to public hospitals at competitive rates, the government counsel claimed before the Sindh High Court on Tuesday.
Contesting a petition moved by three former supplier of drugs to hospitals, Advocate Manzoor Ahmed said prequalification bids were invited before tender and one condition for prequalification was that the manufacturer of medicine should have IMS ranking. The purchase committee decided to entertain first 110 IMS ranking pharmaceutical concerns or their distributors who held 94 per cent of the market. Their sales evidenced the faith of the medical sector in their products.
The CDGK counsel said none of the petitioners was among the first 110 IMS ranking concerns and none could prequalify to offer bids for supply medicines. Reputed multinationals manufacturing the most popular quality drugs participated in the bid and were given contracts. Earlier, drug supply was a monopoly of 10 or 12 firms and not a single multinational concern participated in the bidding. The new purchase policy was launched to end the menace of sub-standard and spurious drugs.
A division bench, comprising Justices Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Gulzar Ahmed, adjourned the hearing to May 10 for final arguments. The petitioners were asked to file their rejoinders by the next date.
