KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the secretary of the Auqaf department to file a report about the status of the historic Mitha Ram Hostel building and observed that it was dedicated for the purpose of education.

A two-judge bench, comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Adnanul Karim Memon, also ordered the secretary to inform it as to whether any memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with any law enforcement agency/ body regarding the possession of heritage site along with the period for such possession.

The court passed the directives while hearing a petition filed in 2016 seeking whereabouts of a missing person.

During the hearing, an investigating officer (IO) submitted that initially, missing person Kamran was picked up by the Rangers, but later he was set free.

Observes the structure was dedicated for the purpose of education

Thereafter, the bench inquired as to whether the paramilitary force had any detention centre /sub-jail to detain the suspects.

A law officer of the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, informed the SHC that the provincial authorities had declared Mitha Ram Hostel as sub-jail and handed it over to the paramilitary force to interrogate/ detain the accused/ suspects.

He also submitted that in 2015, the Sindh government had also granted special powers to the Rangers to keep the suspects for 90-day preventive detention under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

The bench remarked that the heritage building was dedicated for the purpose of education.

The court also came down hard on police and said that political affiliation of a person was not a crime and he should be produced before a court if he had committed any offence after the IO asserted that Kamran was affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi.

Justice Panhwar deplored that a man had been missing since 2016, but nobody was bothered about it.

The law officer of the paramilitary force asserted that the missing person in question was not in the custody of the Rangers and a written statement in that regard had already been filed in court.

About the financial assistance to the family of the missing person, the bench directed the accountant general Sindh to ensure issuance of a cheque in favour of the petitioner as recommended by the home department within 10 days.

It also directed the focal person of the accountant general to be in attendance on Dec 19.

The bench in its order also said: “Secretary Auqaf shall submit [about] status of Mitha Ram Hostel as dedicated by Mitha Ram for the purpose of education and any MoU signed with any agency/ body with regard to possession with the period as well”.

Rules about posting of SHOs

The same bench directed the provincial police officer to ensure that no political or departmental interference was allowed in transfers and postings of SHOs and if any official was found involved in such sort of affairs he/ she must be disqualified for further posting of SHO at any police station in Sindh.

In the light of the last order, the inspector general of Sindh police through a compliance report submitted that the Sindh Police Act, 1891 had been repealed and Sindh Police Rules 2024 were being drafted while the DIG training was working on a chapter about transfer and posting of SHOs.

The report said that as per the draft rules, the minimum term of posting of a SHO would be one year and criteria for selection would depend on professional competence, integrity, community relations, commitment and bravery.

It also maintained that the first draft of the chapter in question had been submitted and the provincial government would approve the final rules.

The bench noted that the draft would be subject to the final approval of the government and in the intervening period, the draft rules must be implemented in all police ranges, including Karachi, forthwith.

Earlier, the bench had ordered a three-member committee, to be headed by the chief secretary, to draft specific rules for transfers and postings of SHOs.

Notification suspended

The SHC has suspended a notification regarding extension in the deputation period of Dr Shahid Rasool, the executive director of the Jinnah hospital.

A single-judge bench comprising Justice Mahmood A. Khan issued notices to the Ministry of National Health Services, health secretary, JPMC, Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) and executive director JPMC as well as federal and provincial law officers for Dec 19.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

No time left
Updated 06 Feb, 2025

No time left

Climate change concerns continue to remain a footnote as politics dominates national discourse, surfacing only when disaster strikes.
Karim Aga Khan
06 Feb, 2025

Karim Aga Khan

PRINCE Karim Aga Khan was a man who straddled various worlds and cultures. Beyond his role as spiritual leader of ...
Cotton production
06 Feb, 2025

Cotton production

PAKISTAN’S cotton crop is on the ropes. The crop output has been falling since FY15, when the country harvested a...
Kashmir question
Updated 05 Feb, 2025

Kashmir question

The important thing is to continue dialogue process, on bilateral disputes, Kashmir issue, and move beyond rigid positions.
Letters from jail
05 Feb, 2025

Letters from jail

OVER the past week, former prime minister Imran Khan has directly addressed his concerns to both the chief justice ...
Agriculture tax
05 Feb, 2025

Agriculture tax

WITH Sindh and Balochistan finally approving changes to their agriculture income tax laws to harmonise their AIT...