KARACHI: The commissioner of Karachi on Wednesday informed the Sindh High Court that the chief minister and the chief secretary of Sindh had also issued directives regarding removal of cables and wires hanging and installed in the city causing public nuisance and also denting the glory of the city.

In his comments filed in a petition of K-Electric, seeking timely removal of such cables, the commissioner submitted that his office had directed the Cable Operators Asso­ciation of Pakistan and the Pakistan Telecomm­unication Access Provi­ders Association in October to undertake the work of putting underground the hanging indiscriminate wires and for this purpose one month was given for red zone areas and three months for rest of the city, but no progress was made so far.

The K-Electric had moved the court against cables and wires hanging/installed in the provincial metropolis and submitted that it was decided in a meeting of stakeholders in March that all cables would be marked and bundled throughout the city by June 30 as temporary solution till the total shifting commences for the underground project.

The petitioner expre­ssed the apprehension that this would not be implemented before the monsoon season and as a consequence there was a possibility of an accident occurring.

Read: Fears of electrocution as heavy rains likely to lash Karachi

The bench had sought progress report from the commissioner.

When the matter came up for hearing before the two-judge bench headed by Justice Khadim Hussain Shaikh on Wednesday, a representative of the commissioner office filed a report on behalf of the commissioner.

The report said that such cables were also giving a shabby look and their removal would save lives from mishaps occurring due to snapping of these cables, adding that no objection certificates were also issued to both the associations to put these cables underground.

However, the commissioner contended in the report that no progress was made so far as the cable associations had avoided initiating the project and were afraid of investing huge amounts on the project and expressed the apprehension that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation or the mayor may confiscate or destroy the structures at any stage of the project.

The factual report in this regard has also been submitted before the Supreme Court as well, it concluded.

Alleged MQM-L hitman remanded

The administrative judge of the antiterrorism courts on Wednesday remanded a suspected hitman in police custody in explosives and illicit weapons cases.

The investigating officer produced suspect Zahid Bengali before the court and contented that he was a hitman affiliated with the MQM-London and involved in several cases of targeted killing of his rival political workers and others.

The IO further contended that he was an absconder in seven cases registered at the Ibrahim Haideri police station and sought his custody for investigation.

The court handed over the suspect to police on 10-day physical remand.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2020