SHC suspends order for FIR against KE admin

The Sindh High Court on Thursday suspended a district court’s order regarding registration of an FIR against the chief executive officer of K-Electric over the death of a child through electrocution.

KE CEO Tayyab Tareen had approached the SHC against the registration of an FIR on the orders of a district court against the KE management and CEO over the death of an eight-year-old boy, Azaan, by electrocution in the city’s Model Colony area.

The district court had directed the station house officer of the Model Colony police to register an FIR against the KE management and CEO for their negligence as the child had died of electrocution during the recent spell of monsoon rains in Karachi.

Family members of Azaan alleged that the power utility had failed to take precautionary measures to protect citizens from electrocution during the rain spell.  The counsel for KE contended that the FIR could not be registered against the CEO of the power utility. However, he said, action would be taken against any other officer found guilty of negligence on his part.

He requested the court to set aside the sessions court’s order regarding registration of an FIR. The court, while suspending the lower court’s order, ordered the Model Colony police SHO and other respondents to file comments on the matter.   

Burns Garden

The SHC restrained the provincial culture department and others from raising illegal constructions at Burns Garden and encroaching upon a portion of the park.

The directives came on a petition filed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation against illegal construction at Burns Garden, which is situated near the National Museum.

The petitioner’s counsel, Sameer Ghazanfar, submitted that the garden was retained and looked after by the KMC since August 7, 1996. However, he contended, the culture and heritage department had started illegal construction and raised encroachments upon a portion of the park.

The court issued notices to the provincial law officer and others and called their comments on October 25. In the meantime, the respondents have been restrained from carrying out any construction work at the park.