KARACHI: Sachal Rangers asked not to ‘harass’ official
KARACHI, April 15: The Sachal Rangers were asked on Tuesday not to harass one of their officials who has approached the Sindh High Court against his victimization.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Afzal Soomro and Justice Syed Pir Ali Shah took up senior inspector Muhammad Noman Qureshi’s petition and issued notices to director-general of Sachal Rangers and other respondents for April 29.
The petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Syed Ishrat Ghazali, informed the bench that his client joined the Rangers as sub-inspector in 1999. He completed his training with flying colours and was promoted to the rank of inspector in 2004 because of his diligent hard work while posted at the Tharparkar border with India. His subsequent promotion as senior inspector turned some of his colleagues against him.
Under the command of an army major, the counsel said, the petitioner was assigned the task of monitoring the flour crisis along with two other Rangers officials. His work was highly praised by union council nazims, who wanted to give him a commendation for his good work. The Rangers officer, however, said he would be awarded a certificate by the force itself. Instead of a letter of appreciation, he was served with an order to appear before a court of inquiry to answer allegations that he ‘made money during the crisis management’. The inquiry, however, cleared him.
Despite his exoneration, the lawyer said, the Rangers now wanted to send the petitioner to a cell of their intelligence wing known for its harsh treatment. He requested the court to summon the petitioner’s record and restrain the Rangers from maltreating him.
Notice to ATC
The bench also issued notices to the respondents, including the anti-terrorism court registrar, for April 22 in a petition filed by ‘Shahid Rind’ against his trial for kidnapping for ransom as ‘Bahadur Brohi, brother of Mashooq Brohi’. Advocate Adnan Karim submitted on behalf of Shahid Rind that an identification parade was held in jail instead of the court premises in violation of an SHC order. The witnesses identified Shahid Rind as an accused under pressure from the anti-violent crime cell of police.
The counsel said his client had time and again denied the police claim that he was Bahadur Brohi, brother of notorious offender Mashooq Brohi. One case against him was quashed by the high court while no identification parade was held in two cases. He was ‘identified’ in a third case only to justify his illegal detention, the lawyer said, seeking his client’s release.
The bench also issued notices to the provincial finance and agriculture secretaries in a petition moved by agriculture officer Mohammad Hanif Qureshi through Advocate Abdul Jabbar Qureshi. The petitioner said he was selected for government service by the Sindh Public Service Commission. He was selected by the federal education ministry for advanced studies at a Japanese university. He did his MSc (Agriculture) from Okayama University and returned home to resume his job. However, he was being denied a special increment which he was entitled to 1983 rules.
Order reserved
The bench reserved its order on a petition against the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s decision to allow CNG stations within residential areas despite objections by the residents. Mahmudul Hasan Rizvi and Mahmood Baig submitted through Advocate Ishrat Ghazali that they had approached Ogra under an SHC order on their petitions. The authority did not give them a proper hearing and rejected their objections, though under the Ogra Ordinance of the year 2000 and the Environmental Protection Act of 1997, the authority was obliged to give priority to public safety and health.
The lawyer said the petitioner’s plea was disposed of by the SHC conditionally but since Ogra had failed to do its duty, the proceedings should be resumed. The Ogra counsel said the petitioners could move a fresh petition as the previous petition had finally been disposed of. The bench reserved its order on the question of maintainability.
Karsaz tribunal
Meanwhile, a petition challenging the institution of an inquiry into the explosions that killed and injured hundreds of people who had gathered to welcome PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto here on October 18, 2007, was left over due to want of time. The petition was moved by Sindh PPP President Syed Qaim Ali Shah, since inducted as chief minister, through Advocate Farooq H. Naek, since appointed federal law minister. The petitioner said the inquiry was mere ‘eyewash’ intended to avoid investigations into the complaint lodged by him. He also objected to the appointment of retired Justice Dr Ghous Mohammad as the one-man inquiry tribunal.
According to Advocate Adnan Karim, an associate of Mr Naek, the tribunal has been disbanded by the new government, though a notification was yet to be issued.