SUKKUR: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday expressed its displeasure over absence of respondent archaeology department from the hearing of a petition against alleged illegal construction on a piece of land, claimed to be part of heritage site Lakhin Jo Daro.

The SHC bench comprising Justice Irfan Sa’adat Khan and Justice Shahab Sarki was seized with a petition filed by a citizen, Mohib Chandio, through his counsel, Sohail Khoso.

The petitioner submitted in court that the construction of an industrial unit was being carried out during night time since the man claiming to be owner of the land in question was restrained by the Sukkur district administration, the relevant departments and lately a court of law from continuing with his project.

Mukesh Kumar, the counsel for the respondent industrialist, submitted that his client owned two plots in the area but both of them fell outside the demarcated area of the archaeological site. He stated that his client was in possession of all relevant documents.

The bench appointed a court official as the raid commissioner to visit the site, collect the facts and submit a report within a week.

The hearing was adjourned till February 17.

Closed school case

The same bench issued an order for the reopening of a closed school in Wahid Bukhsh Gabol village in the Khanpur Mahar area of Ghotki district and directed the education department for the posting of teacher for the school.

The order was passed on a constitutional petition filed by Abdul Shakoor Gabol, a resident of the village, through his counsel, Achar Gabol.

The petitioner submitted in court that the Sindh government had registered the school in 1999 though there was no structure in place. He said children used to get education there till 2007 when some influential people of the area got it closed.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2015

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