August 12, 2008	Tuesday	Sha'aban 9, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 11: The Sindh High Court restrained the election and municipal authorities of Taluka Shaheed Fazil Rahu, Badin District, on Monday from proceeding against the Taluka Nazim, Mohammad Aslam Rahu, otherwise than in accordance with the law.

The petitioner nazim submitted through Advocate M. Ashraff Kazi that a campaign of political victimization against him and his supporters had been launched by their PPP rivals ever since the induction of the party’s government. A number of bogus criminal cases had been registered against them at the instance of their political rivals. Their houses had been raided and they had been subjected to violence and humiliation to force them to change their loyalties. Union council nazims had particularly been targeted, the petitioner alleged, listing the FIRs registered against them at different police station recently.

Mr Rahu said he had to take shelter in Karachi as he apprehended danger to his safety and liberty. He had also shifted his family temporarily. In his absence, a no-confidence motion is said to have been opted by the Taluka Council against him. The session was unlawfully convened. The entire proceedings were conducted in gross violation of Section 63 (1), (2) and (7) of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001, which prescribed the procedure to be followed for recall of the taluka nazim. Under sub-section 7, in particular, the nazim shall have the right to appear before the taluka council and address it in his defence. The provision bars any proceedings behind the nazim’s back.

A division bench comprising Justices Ali Sain Dino Metlo and Rana Mohammad Shamim disposed of the petition with the direction that all the authorities concerned should observe the requirements of law as set out in Section 63 of the SLGO. The nazim shall have the right to appear before the council and explain his position with regard to the allegations leveled against him by his opponents.

Shirazi group

A large number of councilors and nazims belonging to the Shirazi Group of PML (Q) complained on Monday of persecution and harassment by the Thatta police officials at the behest of their political rivals. A petition moved by 20 former and sitting councillors, including Ghulam Mustafa Jukhio, of Ghora Bari said false criminal cases were registered against them to make them change their loyalties.

They particularly named district police officer Fida Husain Mastoi, SPO Mukhtar Ali Solangi and the SHOs of Keti Bandar, Garho and Karampur. The division bench consisting of Justices A.S.D. Metlo and R.M. Shamim issued notices to the respondents for August 21 and asked them to act in accordance with the law in the meanwhile.

Identical petitions were moved by Keti Bandar union council nazim Pir Ali Hasan Shah and his brother, Pir Sikandar Shah. Garho union council chairman Ghulam Mustafa Lashari and three former UC chairmen had a similar grievance and sought the court’s protection against the administration’s highhandedness. Yet another petition was moved by Haji Suleman Hilayo, nazim of the Sonda union council. Notices were issued in them by Justice Khwaja Naveed Ahmed and Justice Bin Yamin, who heard the petitions separately, for different dates.

Disabled job quota

The bench comprising Justices A.S.D. Metlo and R.M. Shamim sought comments from the provincial education and literacy department secretaries in a petition seeking the headmaster’s job for a one-eyed man from the quota for the disabled. Petitioner Amanullah Jakhro submitted through Advocate Ghulam Qadir Jatoi that he applied for the post of headmaster in Grade 15 after doing his BA and B. Ed. He also qualified the written test conducted by the Sukkur Institute of Business Administration and secured 40 per cent marks. He said he could be considered for the post on the basis of his disability.