SHC seeks comments on rickshaw driver’s self-immolation

The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the transport secretary , the DIG traffic and other auhorities on a petition seeking action against police officials for demanding a bribe from a rickshaw driver, who self- immolated himself at a traffic police office.

Muzammil Mumtaz Meo submitted in the petition that rickshaw driver Mohammad Khaild Yousuf had set himself on fire at the traffic police office in Saddar in protest after being fined by traffic police for not paying them a bribe a few days ago. The driver later died at hospital.

He stated that the rickshaw driver was forced to commit suicide as money was extorted from him at least three times. He alleged that it was a routine in Karachi that traffic police were engaged in demanding bribes from rickshaw drivers and motorbike riders on main roads, and on refusal they imposed undue fines on them.

According to the complainant, substandard CNG cylinders were being used by public transport despite clear directions of the court and no action was being taken against such vehicles. He requested the court to direct the DIG traffic to take action against traffic police personnel engaged in demanding bribes from motorists and to restrain the public transport vehicles from using substandard CNG cylinders.

A division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar directed the transport secretary, the DIG traffic and the traffic SSPs concerned to file their comments on the petition.

Judicial commission

The Supreme Court-mandated judicial commission directed the private contractor engaged in lifting garbage from the districts of Karachi to install a command and control system in their areas.

The commission headed by Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim has been informed by the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board about the working of the private contractors engaged in lifting garbage in the city.

The private contractors undertook to install a command and control system according to the specification within 15 days. The commission observed that if the private contractors failed to install the system, the SSWMB would not pay dues to them. It further observed that other issues would be sorted out in conformity with the terms of the contract.