KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a reply from the Sindh government regarding provision of an alternative space to accommodate the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) and its shifting from the iconic Hindu Gymkhana building.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, was hearing a petition filed by the Shree Ratheshawar Maha Dev Welfare seeking a ban on construction on the premises of Hindu Gymkhana.

Take a look: Napa turns 10

At the outset, the bench expres­sed extreme displeasure over the failure of the provincial government in getting the premises of the heritage building vacated and shifting Napa to some other place.

The court has ruled that the heritage building will have to be vacated at any cost

An additional advocate general expressed the government’s inability in proposing alternative land to Napa stating that the government was even short of land to establish its own offices.

At this, Justice Ahmed remarked that the government might shift Napa to the Chief Minister House, if need be.

He observed that how a heritage building could be used for any purpose other than what it was meant for and asked what steps the government had taken to provide alternative space to Napa to shift it from the gymkhana building.

The judge came down hard on the law officer saying commercial buildings could be built at any place in this way.

He observed that the heritage building would have to be vacated at any cost and asked the law officer to submit a reply on behalf of the provincial government regarding provision of alternative land to Napa and shift it there from the Hindu Gymkhana.

The Shree Ratheshawar Maha Dev Welfare had approached the court in 2014 through Advocate Neel Keshav submitting that the heritage site belonged to the Hindu community of Karachi before partition as the gymkhana building was established for the promotion of social and religious activities of Hindus, but the government took it over as an evacuee trust property after partition.

Therefore, the petitioner asked the court to issue a directive to Napa to vacate the building and hand it over to the Hindu community.

Ex-policeman challenges his dismissal

The same bench issued notices to the inspector general of police, Sindh, the provincial law officer and others on a petition filed by a former police inspector challenging his forced retirement.

Petitioner Syed Naveed Nasir submitted that he was serving as an inspector in the Sindh police, but a departmental inquiry into the allegations of his alleged assistance in the targeted killings of political workers was conducted and subsequently he was forcibly retired without providing any charge sheet against him.

His counsel pleaded to annul his client’s forced retirement and order his reinstatement.

However, the bench members observed that it would be appropriate to first examine the evidence, if any, available against the petitioner before passing any order since there were serious allegations.

The bench issued notices to the IGP, AG Sindh and others to submit their replies by the next hearing.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2018