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KARACHI, March 1: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday once again directed the federal government to file a definite report regarding whereabouts of an IBA student, who had been missing since Oct 30, 2004.
The court was hearing a petition by Ms Zahida Leghari who alleged that her son Affan Leghari, 23, was arrested by the law-enforcement agencies from his residence in Gulzar-i-Hijri on Oct 30, 2004, in connection with his alleged links with religious extremists groups.
Earlier, the interior secretary filed an affidavit, submitting that the detainee was neither arrested nor detained by the FIA, nor by the Islamabad police.
The statement of the interior secretary was termed as insufficient by the court and he was directed to ascertain whereabouts of petitioner’s son from all federal and other related agencies and submit a statement.
As the matter was taken up, federal law officer Syed Ziauddin Nasir sought further time to submit report regarding whereabouts of Affan as he did not receive reply from concerned authorities yet.
SHC’s division bench, comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Mrs Qaiser Iqbal, taking serious notice over the delay in filing of definite statement by federal government, directed it to submit a report within two weeks.
The next hearing of case has been fixed for March 14.
STEEL MILLS: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Privatization Commission, Ministry of Industries and Production and others on a petition against privatization of Pakistan Steel and the Privatization Commission Ordinance, 2000.
Pakistan Steel People’s Workers Union (CBA), through its chairman Shamshad Ahmed Qureshi and others, submitted that the federal government decided to privatize the mills through unconstitutional process under the garb of Privatization Commission Ordinance which is contrary to Article 153 and 154 of the Constitution.
Purported sale of shares and management control of PSM is being carried out without prior approval from the Council of Common Interest and without its supervision and control, in violation of Article 154 of the Constitution, they said.
It was also submitted that the process of privatization and PC Ordinance are ultra vires of the Constitution and the same be declared illegal and unconstitutional.
Petitioners said that the land was provided by the Sindh government for establishment of PSM and it could not be used for other commercial activities, mentioning that privatization of PSM would create unemployment in the province.
They submitted in the petition that neither the Sindh government had been consulted, nor any guidelines or policies have been provided by the CCI regarding proposed privatization of the PSM.
The court was prayed to declare the process of privatization of PSM illegal and to restrain the respondents from selling it without direction and supervision of CCI and the Sindh government.
SHC’s division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Ali Sain Dino Metlo, after preliminary hearing of the petition issued notice to respondents for March 9 and called their comments.
fine reduced: An Anti-Terrorism Appellate (ATA) bench of the High Court of Sindh (SHC), comprising Justice Mohammad Afzal Soomro and Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi, on Wednesday deciding a criminal revision application by an SI reduced the fine imposed against him by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) from Rs100,000 to Rs25,000.
Si Chaudhry Arif Hussain of Gulistan-i-Jauhar police station, was sentenced to pay a fine of Rs100,000 by the ATC-III after he was charged and convicted under Section 27 of the ATA for carrying out a “defective investigation” against two persons on charge of kidnapping for ransom.
The bench heard Mehmood A Qureshi, advocate, counsel for the applicant, and AAG Habib Ahmed who represented the state. The bench disposing of the revision application maintained the conviction and reduced fine.
The bench also ordered payment of fine within 15 days or in case of default to under go simple imprisonment for three months.
The same bench also allowed another revision application against forfeiture of Rs50,000 deposited by SI Chaudhry Arif in the same case.
Notices issued: Notices were issued to the state in a detention case of a central leader of the Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) for March 9 by a division bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC), comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Zia Pervez, on Wednesday.
Noor Naz Agha, advocate, appearing for the wife of Mr Rauf Sasoli, stated that the husband of her client was taken into custody by a raiding party on Feb 3 from his residence and since then he had been detained for no reasons.
The bench, after initial hearing, put the federation and the AG Sindh on notice for March 9.—PPI/APP
