KARACHI, Oct 11: A division bench of the High Court of Sindh comprising Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Justice Ali Sain Dino Metlo on Wednesday ordered jail authorities to admit to hospital an under-trial prisoner brutally tortured by the Anti-Dacoity and Robbery Cell (ADRC) police at the CIA centre in Saddar.
The bench was hearing a constitution petition filed by Ghulam Bari challenging his arrest and illegal confinement since Sept 22. The petitioner/accused was produced before the court on Wednesday by jail authorities on a court notice.
The petitioner alleged that he was subjected to third-degree torture as his nails were also pulled out.
The bench noted that the petitioner was “hardly able to walk, or for that matter even to sit properly on a bench”.
Advocate Mehmood A. Qureshi appearing for the petitioner said that soon after arrest, his client was subjected to severe torture. He submitted that the accused was booked in a 17-year-old criminal case when this petition was filed.
He sought bail on health grounds so that the accused be given proper medical treatment.
The bench after hearing the counsel for the petitioner and the assistant advocate-general, Sindh, Habib Ahmed, who admitted torture by the ARDC police, ordered that the petitioner be immediately admitted to the Civil Hospital Karachi under proper police guard.
The bench also directed the superintendent of the CHK to examine the petitioner/accused and submit a complete medical report. The petitioner shall be kept in hospital till further order, the bench said, ordering personal attendance of ASI Sarwar Sultan of the ADRC, Saddar, on the next date of hearing fixed for Oct 18.
RESIDENTS’ PETITION: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday disposed of a petition of some 20 residents of Mustufaabad, North Nazimabad area, against their ejection after undertaking by the city government that if any portion of leased plots was needed the procedure provided in the law for acquiring the land would be followed.
Syed Mushtaq Ali and others submitted that the expansion of Major Anwar Shamim Abbasi Road was not justifiable in view of the under-construction 150ft wide `Millenium Road’ which was to be a alternative bypass for all traffic moving from Godhara Camp to Manghopir via Nagan Chowrangi and touching Mustufaabad.
Their counsel said the road was almost complete but it was kept incomplete by the respondents with the intent to dislodge numerous people from their commercial properties under the garb of a road-widening plan.
As the matter was taken up before the SHC's division bench comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Syed Zawar Hussain Jaffery, the petitioner counsel said the CDGK and its revenue officer categorically undertook in their statements that if any portion of leased plots was needed by them the procedure as provided in the law for acquiring such leased plot would be followed.
He said such submission of respondents be binding on them. He also requested the court to direct the respondent to complete the widening process of Millenium Road passing through Mustufabad.
The court after hearing the case observed that the averment made on behalf of the CDGK would be binding on them, and disposed of the petition. However, the court asked the CDGK to expedite the widening process of the road on a priority basis and such work be completed within six months.—APP/PPI