SHC notices to commissioner, DC on plea against issuance of fake domiciles

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to federal and provincial law officers, the Karachi commissioner and deputy commissioners on a Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan petition against the issuance of domiciles to non-residents of Karachi and sought the formulation of a policy in this regard.

MQM-P leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan and other MPAs submitted in the petition that non-residents were being issued domiciles by the government and this would deprive the Karachiites of government jobs. They said domiciles and permanent residents certificates (PRCs) should not be issued to non-residents as it was the right of the residents of the city to apply for government jobs.

They said non-residents managed to obtain government jobs and admissions to college and universities on the basis of fake domiciles and PRCs on the urban quota and deprive the citizens of Karachi of government jobs and admissions to higher educational institutions.

The petitioners’ counsel submitted that the commissioner and deputy commissioners had been informed about the issuance of fake domiciles and PRCs along with the evidence; however, no action had been taken against the delinquent officers.

He stated that the commissioner and the DCs had held out the assurance that they would be vigilant in future. The counsel submitted that brokers and agents were still facilitating the public at large in obtaining fake domiciles and PRCs. He said it was the duty of the government to ensure transparency and merit in government employment, and asked the court to direct the government to ensure that domiciles were not issued to any non-residents.

The court was also requested to constitute a committee for scrutinising the domiciles and PRCs issued since 2008 to date.

After the preliminary hearing of the petition, a division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers, the Karachi commissioner, DCs and others and called their comments on May 21.