KARACHI, Sept 21: The Sindh High Court asked its Nazir on Tuesday to lodge a first information report with the Civil Lines police station against the people who maltreated a deputy nazir when he visited a violative building in pursuance of its inspection order in a petition.

The deputy nazir submitted a report along with an affidavit stating that he went to the residential complex in the Civil Lines area called Qasr-i-Jashn in May in compliance with a court order.

The complex consists of three buildings named Amir House, Asif House and Ahmed House. A resident of Amir House, Commander Iqbal Rasheed (retired), moved a writ petition to challenge encroachments on the compulsory open space and parking area by the builder a developer, Ahmed Construction Company, and the court asked the deputy nazir to visit the site.

As the petition came up for hearing before a division bench, comprising Justices Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Maqbool Baqar, on Tuesday, the counsel for the petitioner and respondent Karachi Building Control Authority submitted that the unlawful structures had since been demolished and the grievance redressed.

Disposing of the petition, the bench, however, took a serious view of the maltreatment of the deputy nazir and directed the nazir to get a criminal case registered against the offenders.

It also issued show cause notices for contempt of court to Jani and Kundanmal to appear in person and explain why a court official was maltreated and physically prevented from performing his duty. The contempt proceedings would continue notwithstanding disposal of the main petition.

The deputy nazir stated in his report and affidavit that some residents or owners or their agents pointed a gun at him as he arrived at the site. They abused him and maltreated him.

They prevented him from entering the complex and inspect the violative structures as directed by the court by show of force. "It is a serious matter which requires immediate exemplary action. The nazir is directed to immediately lodge an FIR against all those responsible for maltreatment of the deputy nazir", it ordered.