KARACHI, May 17: A Sindh High Court division bench set aside three orders of the secretary, director-general and director of the federal government’s archaeology and museums department seeking transfer of Quaid-i-Azam’s relics from Karachi to Islamabad on ‘a permanent loan basis’.
The bench, which consisted of Justices Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Sajjad Ali Shah, restrained the department from removing any antiquities, relics, books, record or articles from the National Museum or archaeology department office in Karachi without prior permission of the court. The respondents were also directed to return the articles transferred to Islamabad in connection with any exhibition temporarily.
The department was asked to file a comprehensive list of objects of antiquity and books and record kept its Karachi office or museum.
The order came on a contempt application moved by Fahim Zaman Khan and others through Advocates Iqbal Haider and Malik Mohammad Ijaz. The petitioners had moved the court in 2002 when move to shift the antiques and record was first initiated by the archaeology department.
The court passed an injunction against permanent transfer of the articles from Karachi and asked the department to furnish a complete list of objects kept by it in the city. Advocate Iqbal Haider argued that the impugned notifications of March 2006 violated the two orders and amounted to contempt of court.
APPEAL ADMITTED: Justice Mohammad Moosa K. Leghari, meanwhile, admitted to regular hearing an appeal moved by Muniruddin Pasha against termination of his service by M/s Weatherford Oil Tool (Middle East) Limited.
The appellant submitted through Advocate Rafiullah that his dismissal was in clear violation of the norms of natural justice and the provisions of the Industrial Relations Ordinance. His grievance petition was, however, dismissed by a labour court. Admitting the appeal, the judge directed that a notice be issued to the respondent company.
DEMOLITION: A division bench, comprising Justices Mushir Alam and Azizullah M. Memon, asked the Karachi Building Control Authority to act against all unauthorized and illegal structures in Azam Basti, Mehmoodabad, ‘without discrimination’.
A petitioner complained that a violative structure has been raised in his neighbourhood. The respondent informed the court that the petitioner himself has built his house in violation of the building rules. ‘If such be the case’, the bench ordered, ‘the KBCA should take action against all unauthorized constructions without discrimination’.
