KARACHI, Aug 28: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday directed the additional district and sessions judge of Shaheed Benazirabad district to decide within six months a case pertaining to double murder allegedly committed over an allegation of Karo-kari (honour killing) in 2010.

A two-member bench, comprising Justices Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Amir Hani Muslim, passed this direction on a petition filed by Muhammad Azeem Shar, a resident of Shaheed Benazirabad district.

He submitted that his 16-year-old son, Asghar Ali Shar, and a girl, Hakeema Bibi, were murdered by a relative of hers on a Karo-kari charge on Oct 15, 2010 within the remit of the Jam Datar police station.

He stated that since the Karo-kari charge against his son was false, he lodged a murder case nominating Noor Muhammad Shar, a relative of Hakeema, as the accused. His counsel, Abdul Wahab Baloch, submitted that the double murder case had been pending trial before the ADJ of Shaheed Benazirabad, but the trial court neither had recorded evidence nor examined witnesses.

He said justice was not being dispensed to the petitioner, who lost his young son over an allegation almost two years back.

The counsel prayed to the SC to order the trial court to decide the matter expeditiously.

The SC bench directed the ADJ to decide the matter expeditiously and within six months. The court allowed the petitioner to also move an application to the Sindh High Court chief justice to seek similar directions for the trial court.

Toxic waste disposal case

The Supreme Court adjourned for four weeks a case pertaining to improper disposal of toxic industrial waste in the industrial zones of Karachi.

A two-member bench, comprising Justices Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Amir Hani Muslim, were seized with a human rights application filed by Gul Zaib, a resident of Abidabad. He stated that a young boy, Iftikhar, died and 19 other children suffered disabilities due to toxic chemical waste dumped in the Abidabad area of SITE in April 2006.

According to the applicant, whose son was also injured in 2007, toxic industrial waste was dumped without adopting proper scientific methods on plots F-620 and F-621, where the victim children suffered injuries while playing cricket. Eight-year-old Iftikhar was badly burned and later died in hospital. His 10-year-old friend, Shiraz, got disabled for life when doctors were forced to amputate both his legs and hands as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals.

The applicant asked the court to order the authorities concerned to check violations of environmental laws, take action against factories responsible for the death of the boy and disabilities to the others.

On the last date of hearing, the SC bench had directed the Sindh Environment Protection Agency, industrialists associations of Korangi and SITE Industrial Area, the environment protection department, the inspector-general of the Sindh police and others to submit their respective reports on steps taken for the removal of toxic waste from SITE.

On Tuesday, the SC bench was informed that Advocate Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, who is representing the Sindh government in the case, was on general adjournment. The bench adjourned the hearing for four weeks.

Engineers’ seniority case

The Supreme Court adjourned till Aug 29 a case regarding a dispute over seniority of the Sindh irrigation department’s engineers.

A two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, was hearing a petition of assistant executive engineer Habibullah Memon, who challenged the non-award of seniority to him despite direction issued by the service tribunal.

The case pertained to the non-award of seniority to promoted engineers despite the direction of the tribunal, which also passed an order against the promotion of directly appointed officers.

On Tuesday, the secretary for the Sindh irrigation department appeared and requested for time to see whether the competent authority could award seniority to the petitioner.

Allowing him time, the SC bench adjourned the hearing till Aug 29.—PPI