KARACHI, March 28: Former Balochistan chief minister Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s name has been taken off the exit control list, a federal attorney informed the Sindh High Court on Tuesday and the court disposed of his contempt application accordingly.

The applicant, who is also president of the Balochistan National Party, submitted through Advocate Syed Ghulam Shah that the court had ordered removal of his name from the ECL and allowed him to proceed abroad following a writ petition moved by him in July 2005. However, despite court order, he was not being allowed to travel abroad by the immigration authorities.

He said he was alleged to be involved in a murder case in which he was discharged by police years ago after preliminary inquiry. The applicant prayed that the authorities concerned be ordered to be tried for contempt for flouting court order.

As the contempt plea came up for hearing before a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Mrs Qiaser Iqbal, federal government standing counsel Mahmood Alam Rizvi stated that the applicant’s name had since been deleted from the ECL. The applicant’s counsel did not press the plea and the application was disposed of in terms of the federal attorney’s statement.

PS privatization: The Sindh High Court asked the advocate-general on Tuesday to find out and inform it whether the chief minister’s consent to the privatization of Pakistan Steel was sought by the federal authorities.

The proposed privatization has been challenged by the Pakistan Steel Workers Union and others. The petitioners allege that the entire process of privatization initiated under the Privatization Commission Ordinance was unconstitutional as it bypassed Articles 153 and 154 of the Constitution, which empowered the Council of Common Interests to take decisions about federal and federally-managed institutions. The petition is being heard by a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Mrs Qaiser Iqbal.

The petitioners said the land for the mills was provided by the Sindh government to generate commercial activity and create employment and business opportunities in the province and other areas. Neither the provincial government has been consulted, nor a policy framework approved by the CCI.

As the petitioners’ counsel, Abdul Mujeeb Pirzada, commenced his arguments against the process of privatization and the ordinance regulating it on Tuesday, the Privatization Commission counsel, Khalid Anwer, told the court that the Sindh chief secretary was a member of the privatization committee and he raised no objection to the impugned process on behalf of the Sindh government. The chief secretary’s alleged approval was questioned by Mr Pirzada as, he said, the chief minister of the province was the final authority to take a decision.

The bench asked the advocate-general to apprise the court about the chief minister’s consent and adjourned further hearing to March 30.