KARACHI, Nov 2: The Sindh High Court ordered on Thursday fresh elections to the Young Men’s Christian Association within 90 days under the supervision of the advocate-general, who heads the supervisory committee appointed by it earlier.
All members of the registered bodies claiming to represent the YMCA according to the record secured by the SHC nazir would be entitled to vote, a division bench comprising Justices Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Sajjad Ali Shah directed in a consent order disposing of a petition moved by the former president of the association and references made by AG Anwar Mansoor Khan in his capacity as chairman of the supervisory committee.
Petitioner Kashif Khalid submitted through Advocate M.M. Tariq that he was elected president of the YMCA’s board of directors in 2004 but was not allowed to function.
For quite a few years, one group of members or another approached the social welfare department for cancellation of the results and stay of notification of the new governing body and sought appointment of caretakers. The association was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, the Social Welfare Ordinance, 1961, and the Companies Ordinance, 1984, with a disputed list of members.
The high court had earlier appointed a supervisory committee headed by the AG and comprised its nazir and the member of its inspection team. The AG moved six references seeking court orders on as many different matters relating to the affairs of the association.
Thursday‘s order sent the references pertaining to misappropriation of funds to the investigation agency concerned and left the matter of suspension of the YMCA school principal to the new governing body. Former MPA Salim Khurshid Khokhar, St Patrick’s Principal Father Joseph Paul and the provincial government were cited as respondents in the petition.
CONTRACT CANCELLED: Announcing a judgment reserved earlier by a bench comprising Justices S.J. Osmany and Ali Sain Dino Metlo, the bench directed the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to float fresh tenders for laying sewerage lines in the North Karachi and Federal ‘B’ Area industrial estates. Allowing a petition moved by M/s Ayaz Builders through Advocate Khalid Jawed Khan, it set aside the contract awarded to M/s Mohammad Ayub Brothers.
The petitioner firm said that it was the lowest bidder and the respondent firm the highest but the bid was awarded to it at the (lowest) rates quoted by it. If the bid was to be given at the rates submitted by it, it had a prior right, particularly in view of its experience in the field, including execution of the KWSB’s Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme. The bench asked the respondent board to ensure that the new bidding process was transparent.
MINING LICENCE: Another division bench comprising Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Faisal Arab, meanwhile, stayed the cancellation of mining license till the next date of hearing of a petition moved by the licence-holder.
Ms Moona Ghamro, the petitioner, submitted through Advocate Chaudhry A. Rasheed she obtained a licence for exploration of coalmines in the district of Dadu.
