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KARACHI, March 16: A Sindh High Court division bench on Thursday sought details of action taken by the Sindh government against smoke-emitting vehicles. The bench, comprising Justices Ghulam Rabbani and Zia Pervez, was hearing a writ petition filed by Advocate Islamuddin against the apathy of government officials towards the increasing menace of pollution and traffic violations in Karachi, which were causing deaths, ailments and traffic jams.
The city district government said he had already submitted a report on the measures being taken and proposed to be taken by the CDGK to streamline traffic in the city and prevent air and noise pollution created by vehicles.
Additional Advocate General Sarwar Khan informed the bench that 2047 vehicles had been impounded and fines imposed on their owners recently. A visible improvement would be made when more funds were made available for the purpose in the next budget.
The bench observed that a number of steps had been claimed to have been taken in the public interest, but no tangible relief was visible.
If a single violative wall was raised in the Defence area, the entire official machinery came into motion but no eyebrows were raised over massive violations in other areas.
It also returned some material placed on record by the CDGK counsel, saying it should be accompanied by an affidavit.
The bench sought a report on measures taken against smoke-emitting vehicles and other pollutants and adjourned further hearing of the petition to a date in office.
DETENTION CASE: The Sindh High Court adjourned the hearing of a petition against the alleged arrest and detention of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz secretary-general Dr Sohrab Sarki on Thursday to enable a federal government counsel to make inquiries from the federal agencies.
Police superintendent Mohammad Aslam of Lyari, meanwhile, categorically denied having picked up the JSQM leader, who holds American citizenship and was on a visit to Pakistan when he was whisked away from Gulistan-i-Jauhar.
Submitting a counter-affidavit, Additional Advocate-General Sarwar Khan said the alleged detainee was not in police custody.
According to the petition, Dr Sarki was picked up by DSP Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam of the Gulistan-i-Jauhar. Advocates Nooruddin Sarki and Syed Ghulam Shah submitted that they did not know whether the counter-affidavit had been filed by the same officer who arrested the detainee. The ranks and surnames of the two officers were different. The bench observed that matter required clarification.
