SHC issues show-cause notice to HDIP director for no-show

The Sindh High Court on Friday issued a show-cause notice to the director of the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP) for failing to appear before it and directed him to file a complete record with regard to testing the fitness and clearance of CNG kits and cylinders being used in public and private vehicles.

The directive came during a hearing of petitions of Muzamil Mumtaz Meo and Tariq Mansoor seeking action against police officials for demanding a bribe from a rickshaw driver who self-immolated at a traffic police office as well as against the use of CNG kits and cylinders in public transport and school vans.

A division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar had at the previous hearing directed the HDIP director to file a statement with regard to the fitness and clearance criteria for CNG kits and cylinders being used in the public and private vehicles.

The transport secretary submitted that he wrote a letter to the HDIP director for purpose of inspection of data as to how many vehicles had been inspected and permitted to use CNG but the reply was awaited.

The court observed that the main issue relates to the functions of the HDIP and as to whether before allowing the use of CNG what preventive and safety measures are being taken before granting permission as the petitioners pointed out various accidents due to discrepant CNG kits installed in vehicles, including school vehicles.

The Sindh government had earlier imposed a ban on the use of CNG kits in inter-city public service in Sindh in 2015 in the larger interest of public safety and convenience.

The court had earlier been informed by the secretary transport that the basic responsibility lies with Ogra which is the controlling authority for issues raised in the petitions. He submitted that the Hydrocarbon Development institute of Pakistan was working under the supervision and control of Ogra and they were responsible to check the quality of CNG kits and cylinders.

The court took exception to the non-appearance of the director the HDIP despite clear directions and issued a show- cause notice to him, asking him to explain why action should not be taken against him. The court directed the HDIP director to appear before the court without fail on April 9; otherwise his warrant of arrest should be issued.

Muzammil Mumtaz Meo had submitted in the petition the rickshaw driver 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 are 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 cops engaged in demanding bribes from motorists and to restrain public transport vehicles from using substandard CNG cylinders.