K-Electric told to file comments on plea for cancelling privatisation
2
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Monday directed the K-electric and other official respondents to file their respective comments on a constitutional petition against the unprecedented loss of life caused by the current heatwave coupled with power cuts.
The petition was filed by Advocate Moulvi Iqbal Haider, who asked the court to cancel the privatisation of the power utility as it had failed to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the people.
A division bench headed by Justice Aqeel Abbasi put off the hearing to the first week of August.
Earlier, an identical petition filed by Rana Faizul Hasan, secretary general of the United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, sought action against the federal, provincial and K-Electric authorities for failing to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the people that led to the death of 400 people in only two days.
Axact’s case
The SHC again directed the Federal Investigation Agency and other authorities to file their comments on a petition against the transfer of Axact’s chief Shoaib Shaikh and four others to Islamabad for interrogation and investigation into cases pertaining to selling of fake degrees.
A two-judge bench headed by Justice Irfan Saadat Khan also directed the investigation officer of the case to appear in court and put off the hearing to July 10.
The petitioners challenged the order of the district and sessions court regarding their transfer to Islamabad on the FIA application.
On Monday, the superintendent of the Karachi central prison submitted his comments on the matter. He said that the accused persons were handed over to the FIA on court orders.
The federal law officer informed the court that the accused persons had already been moved to the capital for investigation and interrogation in a criminal case, therefore, the instant petition might be thrown out as it had become infructuous.
However, the counsel for the petitioners said that an interim charge-sheet against the chief and other employees of the Axact had been submitted in the trial court in Islamabad, still the accused persons were not being shifted back to Karachi.
Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2015
On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play
