SHC seeks comments on petition against cattle market on private land

The Sindh High Court issued notices to the Korangi Cantonment Board, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the deputy commissioner of the East district and other respondents on a petition challenging the grant of permission for operating a cattle market on private land.

The petitioner, Zulekha, submitted that they were declared lawful owner of 100 acres of land in the Qayyumabad area after 25 years of litigation and wanted to utilise the land. 

Her counsel, Akbar Jatoi, submitted that the cantonment board had been allowed permission for establishing a cattle market in that piece of land, which, he said, was unlawful his client was the lawful owner and had the right to allow a cattle market in her land. He requested the court to set aside the local administration’s permission for establishing the cattle market on the private land.

After the preliminary hearing of the petition, he issued notices to the respondents and called their comments.

 

Jail authorities’ bail 

The Sindh High Court granted time to the prosecutor general of the province for placing additional evidence and record over an application for the cancellation of bail of Karachi central prison officials in a case pertaining to the recent jailbreak by hardened criminals of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ).

Former central prison superintendent Ghulam Murtaza Sheikh, deputy superintendent Fahim Anwar Memon and assistant superintendent Abdul Rehman Sheikh were granted bail by an anti-terrorism court on July 18.

LeJ militants Shaikh Mohammad Mumtaz alias Firaun alias Sher Khan and Mohammad Ahmed Khan alias Munna, who were allegedly involved in over 60 murders, had escaped from the high security prison on June 13.   

Police had registered a case against the then jail superintendent, the deputy superintendent, and the assistant superintendent along with 12 other officials on charges of negligence in the escape of the LeJ militants.

According to the prosecution, the hardcore militants had escaped from the judicial complex inside the central prison where they had been brought by jail officials allegedly in connection with the hearing of some cases. Arrested in 2013, the suspects were involved in the target killing of more than 60 police officials, political party workers and Shia community members.

The prosecution submitted that the escape of the hardened criminals was a serious matter and negligence on the part of the prison authorities could not be overlooked. 

The prosecution requested the court to dismiss the bail pleas of the jail authorities. 

The prosecutor general sought time to file additional evidence and record against the jail authorities. Granting time, the court adjourned the hearing for a date to be fixed by the office.