KARACHI: The police informed the Sindh High Court on Thursday that the cause of deaths behind around 15 people in a Keamari neighbourhood in February 2020 had not been ascertained yet.

They contended that as per a report of the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), a ship loaded with pet-coke was being unloaded at the Karachi Port Trust and dust emission was observed on the day of incident.

However, the police report also conceded that there was no headway in the investigations so far as an autopsy report has yet to be collected, footage of port was not available with the KPT and legal heirs of victims were not ready to cooperate with investigators.

A deputy superintendent of police filed a progress report before the SHC which was hearing a set of petitions about two identical incidents — the recent 18 deaths in Keamari as well as around 15 deaths due to suspected leakage of toxic gas in the same vicinity in 2020.

The report further said that despite thorough analysis and comprehensive study reports as well as experts’ opinion from Industrial Analytical Centre at the Karachi University, department of forensic medicine Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Medical and Toxicology Department, LUMHS and Sepa, the cause of death was still not established.

While referring to a report of Sepa about air quality, it stated that KPT did not take any initiative to improve environmental condition and air quality within the port and nearby vicinities.

The post-mortem report of Pak Army soldier Kamran Shahzad has not been collected yet and the DSP visited Combined Military Hospital, Malir Cantonment, on Jan 28, but he was informed that Saturday and Sunday were days off at the CHM, it added.

The report further maintained that the police had approached KPT to obtain the footage, but it replied that the incident had taken place on Feb 16, 2020 and video/footage remained stored for 30 to 45 days only.

It may be recalled that last month, the SHC had asked the inspector general of police for a thorough investigation into such incidents.

It had also expressed surprise over the disposal of a case under A-class — meaning the accused persons are unknown or untraceable — related to deaths in 2020.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2023