HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit, on Tuesday directed the chief secretary to submit a detailed report explaining the criteria of naming public streets, roads and institutions after political figures and their family members.

The bench comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry fixed the matter for July 24 and directed that such report should reach petitioner Advocate Sajjad Ahmed Chandio’s counsel before the date.

The bench, in its order, reproduced some paragraphs of the Sept 11, 2017 order passed by another bench, comprising Justice Salah­uddin Panhwar and Justice Fahim Ahmed Siddiqui, on this public interest litigation.

The order asked all commissioners in Sindh to file their report and directed the chief secretary to ensure implementation of the Sept 11, 2017 order in letter and spirit. The CS would submit the criteria for naming such spaces after political personalities.

Advocate Chandio, who is appearing before the bench in person, submitted that there were many roads in Hyderabad that had been named after otherwise unknown persons, including some political personalities or their family members.

In a Sept 2017 hearing, the petitioner had argued that he had witnessed roads, streets, towns, overhead bridges, educational institutions, hospitals, public parks and universities across Sindh that had been named/renamed after individuals belonging to the ruling elite, privileged class, feudal lords or political figures of Sindh having contributed nothing towards development, betterment or service for any particular area, town, city or the country.

He stated that an institution in Gambat was named after Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Jilani without justification. He contended that living persons were not entitled to this favour while colleges, streets, institutions and public places were named after children, who had no contribution to their credit.

He said that those who dedicated their entire life for the welfare of society in various fields like medical science and education were, however, ignored.

In response to the directive issued under the Sept 11, 2017 order that the petitioner should also cite local councils and local government director as respondent, Advocate Chandio amended title of his petition.

The order also directed that the criteria as referred in The Punjab Local Council (roads and streets) Rules, 1981 be followed and no street, road, college or institution be named after persons who had no contribution to their credit for welfare of society in any field.

The court had observed that that there was no mechanism or criterion for naming a particular government institution, road, street after someone. It said no one could deny that it was prerogative of government to name any institution, road or street after any individual but there had to be reasoning because such thing was done to acknowledge and appreciate services of such person or inspiration/motivation for others.

It noted that such objectives followed in Punjab through the local council rules were ignored in Sindh.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2019