KARACHI, Jan 9: A constitutional petition filed by seven inspectors of Sindh police, challenging their termination, was dismissed in limine by a division bench of the Sindh High Court.

The bench, comprising Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Zia Pervaiz, was hearing the petition filed by SI Mumtaz Ali Buriro and ASI M. Murad, M. Younus Narejo, Munir A. Unnar, Muzaffar Ali, Altaf Hussain and Khalid Ali Hisbani. They were terminated on the orders of SP Nawabshah.

According to the impugned order, they were appointed illegally in violation of Sindh Civil Servant Act and procedure of appointment as laid down by the Supreme Court of Pakistan while deciding a case.

Earlier, Gohar Iqbal advocate, appearing for the petitioners, said that the petitioners were discriminated and their dismissal was illegal.

He maintained that they were appointed after fulfilling all the formalities.

The bench, however, asked him to satisfy the court about the maintainability of the petition. The counsel in reply said that the fundamental rights of the petitioners were being usurped. He said that the SHC was empowered to hear the matter.

The bench then inquired if every service matter was to be entertained by a high court then what could be the jurisdiction of the services tribunal. The bench then dismissed the petition in limine with reasons to be recorded later.

Another bench of the SHC, comprising Chief Justice Sayed Saeed Ashhad, on Tuesday admitted two accused to pre-arrest interim bail against a surety of Rs50,000 each.

Muhammed Naseem and Akhtar Ahmed Khan were booked by the Buffer Zone Police after a bench of SHC ordered registration of an FIR against them on charge of illegal trespass and for violating the sanctity of the house owned by complainant Shamsul Haq.

ZARDARI’S PLEA: A division bench of Sindh High Court on Wednesday put off hearing of an application filed by Hakim Ali Zardari seeking bail in an accountability reference regarding purchase of valuable property in France which was not declared in his assets and liabilities before the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The bench, comprising Justice S Ahmed Sarwana and Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani, adjourned the hearing as deputy prosecutor general of the National Accountability Bureau did not appear before the court. The court will now take up this matter on the next date of hearing.—APP/PPI