KARACHI: Sindh High Court’s division bench headed by Justice K. K. Agha on Thursday directed the superintendent of the Central Prison Karachi to appear before it on July 20 along with complete record of a prisoner who reportedly went missing from the jail.

The bench asked the investigating officer to look into this aspect after the lawyer for petitioner contended that the report of jail authorities about “release” of the missing person was bogus.

The petitioner, who is father of the prisoner, Tahir Zaman, approached the SHC in 2018 and contended that the trial court had ordered release of his son in a case but he [Tahir Zaman] did not came out of prison. The jail authorities asserted that he was released but his whereabouts are still not known, according to the petitioner.

On the last hearing, the senior superintendent of the Central Prison Karachi had submitted a report in which he contended that the prisoner was set free on Jan 31, 2018.

Petitioner says his son’s whereabouts not known since Jan 31, 2018 order for his release

On Thursday, the counsel for petitioner filed an objection on the report of the jail superintendent and argued that the same was bogus.

Subsequently, the bench directed the IO to investigate this aspect of the case and submit a progress report in the next hearing and also ordered the jail superintendent to come up along with complete record of detention and release of missing person in question.

Progress of demolition drive sought

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi on Thursday directed the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to submit details about illegal constructions and action so far taken by it over the last two months.

The bench also sought information of all cases related to illegal constructions pending before the courts and directed the SBCA director general to ensure compliance of its order within the stipulated time or else he would be summoned in person.

On Thursday, when the bench took up a petition filed last year against the institution regarding the demolition drive, the SBCA director (Karachi-central) was in attendance.

The bench directed him to submit lists of properties within his jurisdiction whereupon illegal constructions had been raised. It also sought details of all pending cases before civil and criminals courts including those cases filed by the residents of localities against the owners of buildings.

It asked the SBCA director to specifically mention the details of action taken so far by the authority against unauthorised and illegal constructions in respect of each case.

The bench further said that such lists must be submitted within 60 days and the details should be of area-wise including Gulbahar, Nazimabad No.1 & 2, Liaquatabad No.1 & 2, North Nazimabad Block A & B, Federal B Area Block 1 & 2, Firdous Colony, Rizvia Society, North Karachi, New Karachi and Buffer Zone

While adjourning the hearing till Aug 11, the bench directed the SBCA director to be in attendance along with the lists and details. The bench also asked its officer to provide a copy of this order to the member inspection team (MIT) of the SHC.

Covid-19 vaccine

A single-judge bench headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar on on Thursday discharged the show-cause notices issued earlier to the secretaries of the Cabinet Division and Ministry of National Health Services as well as head of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) for not fixing the price of a Covid-19 vaccine after they submitted their unconditional apologies.

When the bench took up a matter against a notification issued by Drap withdrawing the exemption regarding the Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik-V imported by a private firm, the unconditional apologies were submitted on the behalf of both secretaries and Drap chief.

The authorities concerned produced a copy of the notification issued on May 7 fixing the price of the subject vaccine.

While putting of the hearing till Aug 17, the bench directed an assistant attorney general to file a proper statement duly singed by the competent authority after the AAG said that federation of Pakistan (defendant No.1) would adopt the joint written statement filed by the other defendants.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2021