KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has directed the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC), Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) to take necessary steps in order to ensure uninterrupted supply of water to residents of DHA through normal water pipelines.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi also asked the chief executive officer of the KWSC and officials concerned of the CBC and DHA to arrange a joint meeting within 15 days to find out a solution of improving the regular water supply to petitioners and other residents through pipeline connections.

It also directed them to make all possible efforts to continue supplying water to petitioners and other residents as per their undertaking and court orders through five bowsers per month.

While adjourning the hearing till Oct 4, the bench directed the CEOs of CBC and KWSC to ensure their presence at the next hearing.

The directives were passed on set of identical petitions filed between 2021 and 2023 against additional levy on water and inadequate facility of clean water in DHA and Clifton areas.

The KWSC also filed a report and contended that on account of shortage of water, the total bulk supply of five MGD was being provided to the CBC instead of nine MGD.

It further asserted that the KWSC could increase such supply to six MGD within 10 days while serious efforts were also being made to stop leakage and theft of water from the mainline between Pipri pumping station and Chakra Goth.

The report also maintained that five MGD water supply desalination plant project at Ibrahim Hydri had been approved by the Sindh government which would be completed in two years.

The CEO of CBC contended that as per court order, all possible efforts were being made to provide five bowsers per month to petitioners and residents through online system on first come first serve basis.

However, the lawyers for the petitioners disputed such contention and said most of the petitioners and residents of DHA were not being supplied five water bowsers.

Over 100 residents of DHA and CBC filed petitions in the SHC and contended that they had been paying annual water levy regularly, but the respondents had failed to provide adequate facility of water to them and other residents in flagrant violation of Article 38(d) of the constitution and judgements of the apex court and charging additional amount against each water bowsers.

Plea against PhD in law degree to Sharmila Farooqui

The SHC has issued notices to the vice chancellor of Karachi University, the head of Higher Education Commission (HEC) and others on a petition filed against KU for awarding a PhD in law degree to Pakistan Peoples Party leader leader Sharmila Farooqui.

Advocates Zulfiqar Ali and Khalid Mehboob filed a petition and contended that the KU had conferred a PhD in law degree upon Ms Farooqui last month only on the basis of “favouritism, political influence and in total violation of court order, law, rules and merits”.

They submitted that in February the SHC had directed the KU to immediately discontinue its PhD in law programme until it fulfilled the requirements of the HEC and got an approval from the commission. However, the university was still carrying on with the programme and awarding degrees in violation of the court order.

After a preliminary hearing, a two-judge bench of the SHC headed by Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed issued notices for Sept 28.

The petitioners submitted that the KU awarded the degree without any legal backing and lawful authority and such degree had no legal sanctity in the eyes of the law.

They also contended that there were grave illegalities and nepotism in PhD law admissions and exams since admittedly there was no written or oral record available with the KU in respect of admissions of PhD law students from 2014 to 2019.

They submitted that as per judgement of the SHC handed down in February this year, the PhD in law programme could not be continued as the university had failed to meet the relevant requirements and obtain a no-objection certificate from the HEC.

They asked the bench to direct the respondents to provide all the record of admission process, examinations and degrees regarding the PhD law programme from 2014 to 2019 to the nazir of the SHC since the petitioners argued that there was grave apprehension for committing forgery and manipulation of such record.

The petitioners further sought directives for respondents to cancel the PhD degree awarded to Ms Farooqui and all such degrees issued between 2014 and 2019 as well as the PhD law degrees awarded to those students who claimed to be enrolled during such period.

They also asked the bench to direct the respondents to run the school of law and PhD law programme at KU as per judgements passed by the apex court as well as the SHC and Section 10 of the HEC Ordinance, 2002.

They further pleaded that an order was issued to the HEC to get the SHC’s judgement in respect of the PhD law programme at the KU implemented in letter and spirit.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2023