Ali Haider - File Photo

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the owner of a production house, a director of the Federal Investigation Agency, police officials and others in a petition of well-known singer Ali Haider against the illegal release of his audio-video album and alleged harassment by the respondents.

The singer impleaded the home secretary, the director of the FIA’s corporate crime branch, the SHO of the Ferozabad police station, the area’s sub-division police officer, financier Zubair Motiwala, owner of Thar production Syed Hasan Shah and associate Fahad Sikander as respondents.

A division bench headed by Justice Maqbool Baqar issued notices to the respondents and the federal law officer and adjourned the hearing to Feb 29.

The bench further ordered: “Till then, the respondents shall conduct themselves strictly in accordance with law and they shall not indulge in any illegal and unlawful act. FIR, if any, shall be registered only after seeking permission from the court”.

The petitioner, represented by Advocate Irfan Aziz, submitted in the petition that he had organised and prepared an audio-video album of songs titled “Ki Janan Main Kon” so that it could be released in the market.

He said that he contacted Zubair Motiwala for financing the release and publishing of his album in the market. He said that he gave the original recording of his album to Mr Motiwala for its inspection, examination and scrutiny before entering into an agreement about the album’s release.

The singer alleged that Mr Motiwala and Mr Shah illegally and unlawfully released his album without his approval and without entering into an agreement.

He stated that Mr Motiwala extended threats of dire consequences when he contacted him regarding the illegal release of his album without his approval and agreement.

The petitioner stated that he approached the FIA director and the SHO concerned requesting them to refrain the respondents from further releasing his album illegally but to no avail.

He prayed to the court to direct the FIA director to seal and seize the business of Mr Motiwala, Mr Shah and Mr Sikander.

The petitioner also prayed for the seizure of copies and original of the album and their production in court.

He prayed to the court to restrain the respondents from registering any FIR against him and harassing him and his family members.

ECP told to produce PS-57 voters’ lists

The same bench directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to produce previous and fresh voters’ lists of a Sindh Assembly constituency (PS-57) in Badin.

The court was hearing the petition of a candidate, Syed Ali Bux Shah, who questioned the voters’ lists for PS-57 Badin by-election.

He submitted in the petition that the election commission announced holding of a by-poll for the provincial assembly seat that became vacant after the resignation of former home minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza, but did not prepare voters’ lists in accordance with the electoral rules and directions of the Supreme Court.

Petitioner’s counsel Advocate Abdul Mujeeb Pirzada contended that the election commission did not provide an opportunity to the voters or the candidate for applying for correction and issued voters’ lists that were not corrected in pursuance of the electoral rolls.

He stated that the election commission was required to publish and display voters’ list 21 days prior to the announcement of the election for knowledge of voters and candidates for filing objection to the voters’ list but the same had not yet been done and bogus voters were still present in the voters’ lists.

He prayed to the court to stay the by-poll till the correction of the voters’ lists.

The bench directed the election commission to produce the list of voters of the 2008 election and the fresh by-poll and adjourned the hearing till Feb 22.