KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday summoned the inspector general of police (IGP) for June 8 in the Keamari deaths case.

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M. Shaikh directed the police chief to appear in court and inform it about action taken against the investigating officer for not conducting proper investigation into the deaths due to toxic emissions in a Keamari neighbourhood.

The bench was hearing a set of identical petitions about the death of dozens of people in February 2020 and January 2023 due to suspected leakage of toxic gas in Keamari.

The court order said, “Issue notice to the Inspector General of Police, Sindh for 08.06.2023, when he shall be present in person along with all requisite documents to show that the investigation officer, who failed to conduct the postmortem of the deceased persons in an unhappy episode, has been dealt with in accordance with law.”

In February, the SHC had directed the IGP to lodge FIRs for each victim and conduct a proper investigation into the deaths as well as to remove incompetent officials and depute a senior police officer to probe such cases.

It had also expressed serious dismay over the police and local administration for not conducting autopsy of those died in the incidents and reluctance of police officers concerned to register FIRs.

On Jan 31, the SHC registrar had placed a report including some news items published in different newspapers before the chief justice about recent deaths and the chief justice had converted the report into a constitutional petition.

Other petitions had also been filed in 2020 regarding the death of some 15 people due to suspected leakage of toxic gas in Keamari.

Meanwhile, a sessions court on Wednesday granted bail to 34 detained workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in a May 9 rioting case.

Their lawyers filed bail applications and after hearing both sides the court granted bail against a surety bond of Rs30,000 each.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2023