KARACHI, Nov 4: A division bench of the High Court of Sindh (SHC), comprising of Justice Zahid Kurban Alavi and Justice Gulzar Ahmed, on Tuesday issued pre-admission notice for Nov 7 to the advocate-general of Sindh and the Jang Cultural Wing in a constitutional petition challenging the Karachi Shopping Festival.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by Aslam Bhatti, president of the Tariq Road Shopkeepers Association.

The petitioner prayed to the court to declare these activities as illegal and restrain the respondents, including Events Master of the Cultural Wing, from interfering with the normal business activities of the shopkeepers.

Advocate Khawaja Naveed Ahmed, appearing for the petitioner before the bench, submitted that the petitioner apprehended foul play and it might prove to be a scandal like that of finance companies. The bench, after hearing the counsel, issued pre-admission notice to the AG and other respondents.

The same bench dismissed another petition filed by leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) against Federal Railways Minister Sardar Ghous Bukhsh Mehar as withdrawn after counsel for the petitioners requested for the same.

Petitioners Mir Hasan, Farooq Awan, Badr Iqbal and another moved the court alleging that the respondent was holding two public offices at the same time, which was illegal.

During pendency of the petition, the entire body of the PML(Q) was dissolved for reorganization.

COMMENTS SOUGHT: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Zahid Kurban Alvi and Justice Gulzar Ahmed, on Tuesday directed the judicial magistrate XI East Karachi to submit comments on the petition filed by Syed Wali Shah and Latif Shah against the acquittal of an accused in a murder and dacoity case.

The petitioners submitted on June 18 that their brother Syed Wilayat Shah, driver of a passenger coach, was killed by unidentified armed dacoits while resisting a dacoity bid; the FIR against unidentified culprits was lodged in the Korangi Industrial police station Karachi.

It was submitted that police personnel Muhammad Arif, later on, informed the petitioners that Sultan Mehmood, involved in the killing of their brother, was arrested.

They were further informed that the accused had admitted his guilt and the police were going to obtain the remand of the accused before the magistrate. But on September 3 the police informed them that the accused had been acquitted by the judicial magistrate.

They stated that the acquittal, despite the statement of then accused, was illegal, and the JM had not considered the facts of the matter entirely. They prayed court to direct the respondent to rearrest the accused and his alleged accomplices. The court directed the JM to file comments within seven days, and fixed the matter for November 12. — APP/PPI

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