NCHR not to implement human rights ministry’s order, SHC told

Court hears human rights commission’s response to plea
against transfer of administrative control to MoHR

The Sindh High Court (SHC) was informed on Tuesday that the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) was acting strictly in accordance with the NCHR Act 2012 and would not implement the contrary order of the Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR).

The NCHR submitted its statement to the court in response to a June 12 petition of Karamat Ali and others, who had challenged the prime minister’s approval of the Schedule XI amendment to the Rules of Business, whereby the administrative control of the NCHR was transferred to the MoHR.

The petitioners’ counsel Rasheed A Razvi had told the SHC in the previous hearing that the NCHR was constituted under the NCHR Act 2012, adding that Section 16 of the act guaranteed the commission’s independence.

He said the commission and all of its members should function without political or other bias or interference and, unless the act expressly provides otherwise, should be independent and separate from any government, administration or other body directly or indirectly representing the interests of any such entity.

The counsel said that despite clear independence guaranteed under Section 16, on March 9 the section officer of the MoHR issued a circular, whereby the premier approved new functions of the ministry by amending the Rules of Business, which included administration of the NCHR.

He said the PM could not approve the function allocated to the MoHR without the approval of the Cabinet, adding that the subject was not discussed in the Cabinet.

Razvi said the commission’s independence was mandated by the constitution as well as the relevant act, which was being denied through amendments in the federal government’s Rules of Business.

He said that only an independent national commission could ensure effective and complete implementation of human rights to every citizen, adding that the NCHR was to serve as a watchdog to violation of human rights at the hands of the executive organ and could not be allowed to come under the control of the MoHR.

The court was requested to ensure the NCHR’s independence in all respects and to declare the prime minister’s approval of the amendment “illegal” and “liable to be struck down”. After the preliminary hearing of the petition, the SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar had issued notices to the federal law officer, the MoHR and the NCHR, seeking their comments on the matter. The court had ordered that in the meantime the NCHR would continue functioning in accordance with the relevant laws, including the NCHR Act 2012.

Detention cases

The SHC issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers to file comments on petitions against detention of citizens allegedly by personnel of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

Petitioners Anwar Begum and Zubair Ahmed said personnel of the LEAs had picked up Bahadur and Owais Ahmed Shah from the Docks and Gulzar-e-Hijri localities, adding that their whereabouts were hitherto unknown.

They told the court that the police and other LEAs were disclosing neither the whereabouts of the detainees nor the details of the cases against them. After the preliminary hearing of the petitions, the SHC issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers, the Sindh police chief and others with orders for the police and Rangers to find the detainees.

Two more profiteers arrested, 289 others fined Rs842,800

A day after 26 profiteers were arrested and a total fine of Rs842,800 were imposed on other 289 shopkeepers for profiteering and adulteration, officials of the city’s administrative authority arrested two more profiteers on Tuesday while 266 retailers were fined Rs712,000 for the same offences.

Since the advent of Ramazan, Karachi Commissioner Ejaz Ahmad Khan has been carrying out an anti-profiteering campaign, which aims at providing quality edible goods and food items to the local consumers at officially approved rates, a statement said issued by the commissioner office.

Teams visited markets in Saddar, Civil Lines, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Civil Lines, Baldia, Firozabad, Jamshed Quarters, Gulzar-e-Hijri, Liaqutabad, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Orangi, Baldia, Bin Qasim, Ibrahim Hyderi, New Karachi, Landhi, Korangi and Model Colony, it added.

During their visits, the statement said, teams imposed a fine of Rs103,300 on 19 milk sellers, Rs 223,000 on 39 grocers, Rs.90,000 on 18 chicken sellers, Rs.53,500 on 38 green grocers, Rs163,200 on 121 fruit vendors, Rs29,500 on meat sellers, and Rs76,000 on bakers and confectioners.

A day earlier, officials of the city’s administrative authority arrested 26 profiteers and imposed a total fine of Rs842,800 on other shopkeepers and hawkers for profiteering and adulteration.

As per details, 16 milk sellers were fined Rs.117,000 for either overcharging or selling adulterated milk and other dairy items. As many as 29 grocers were fined Rs212,500 while a fine of Rs53,500 was also imposed on 22 chicken sellers, Rs42,800 on 43 green grocers, Rs179,000 on 119 fruit sellers, Rs91,500 on 26 meat sellers, and Rs125,500 on 27 confectioners selling different bakery items.

During the day long exercise, Rs21,000 was also collected as fine from seven retailers selling miscellaneous food items. Twenty-six profiteers fleecing consumers were placed under judicial custody.

The city commissioner has urged shopkeepers, particularly those selling edible goods, to ensure prominent display of the official price list and said a legal action would taken against the violators of this order.

He said both divisional and district administrations were committed to protect the rights of local consumers while assistant commissioners were personally monitoring markets and shopping zones across the metropolis.

As per the directives of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, the commissioner said, all out efforts were being made to provide optimum relief to citizens by ensuring easy and cost-effective availability of quality goods.