KARACHI, May 15: No suo motu proceedings were initiated by the Sindh High Court nor any direction issued to the Karachi corps commander on May 12, the SHC registrar stated in a clarification issued on Tuesday.

Clarifying media reports saying that SHC Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed took suo motu notice of the situation on May 12 and directed civil and military officers to appear before him, the registrar said: “Owing to some misreporting in the press, it is felt necessary to clarify the correct position with respect to certain events which took place in the Sindh High Court on May 12.

“When the honourable chief justice and the members of the (SHC) Administration Committee arrived in the high court, they were disturbed by the fact that access to the court had been blocked from various entry points preventing the judges, the court staff, the advocates and the litigant public from attending the court. Their lordships directed the registrar to call the home secretary and the provincial police officer, who were required to make security arrangements, to meet them in the chamber of the hon’ble CJ and explain the position.

“The PPO was not available but the capital city police officer and the town police officer concerned appeared and offered their explanation. Subsequently, the home secretary also appeared and undertook to do his best.

“It is, however, clarified that no suo motu proceedings on the judicial side had ever been initiated nor was the corps commander of Karachi directed to appear before their lordships on May 12.”