KARACHI: While dismissing 24 applications seeking the operation of illegal water hydrants, the Supreme Court on Thursday observed that the menace would not be tolerated at any cost.

Headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, a three-judge bench heard a human rights complaint against the failure of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to remove water hydrants operating illegally in the city.

Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, the other two members of the bench, heard the case at the Karachi registry of the apex court.

At the outset of the hearing KWSB Managing Director Hashim Raza Zaidi submitted a report which claimed that 187 hydrants were demolished with the assistance of the Rangers and police on the court’s directives.

Court calls for removal of all connections granted illegally to factories

The KWSB report said that the water utility had disconnected 2,130 illegal water connections in different parts of Karachi.

It added that 137 cases were lodged since January 2017 out of which 44 were registered at the Saeedabad police station, 37 at the Manghopir police station and 27 at the Pirabad police station.

The report further added that as many as 265 suspects were arrested on charges of water theft out which four were convicted and 14 had been acquitted.

The chief justice asked Mr Zaidi about the action taken against the board’s employee, Rashid Siddique, who was involved in allowing the illegal hydrants to operate. The KWSB chief said that the employee had been demoted.

“It is your responsibility to remove illegal water hydrants in the city,” the CJP told Mr Zaidi, directing him to submit a written statement which said that action would be taken against the officers responsible.

The court also directed the KWSB chief to remove all the connections granted illegally to factories.

It further directed the chief of the water utility to file a complete list of factories and industrial units granted illegal water connections.

Death penalty upheld

Meanwhile, another apex court bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa upheld the death penalty of a man convicted of killing his former wife.

The husband, Mohammed Ismail, was handed down capital punishment by a district and sessions court after he was found guilty of killing his former wife, Nadia.

Mr Ismail shot his ex-wife a few days after their separation within the limits of the Liaquatabad police station in 2011.

After his conviction from the trial court, the convict filed an appeal against the judgment in the Sindh High Court (SHC), which was also turned down.

Subsequently, he moved the apex court against the rejection of his appeal by the SHC and prayed to the court to set aside the judgment of the trial court and to pass his release order.

After hearing arguments from the prosecution and the appellant’s counsel, the SC bench upheld the judgment of the trial court and ruled that he should be hanged after all legal procedures were fulfilled.

The bench, that also comprised Justices Mushir Alam and Maqbool Baqar, observed that they found no reason to reduce the appellant’s sentence from death to life imprisonment.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2017