SHC issues notice to transport secy on plea for allowing intercity bus operations

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to the transport secretary and others on a petition of intercity bus operators seeking permission to start intercity bus operations from the Karachi bus terminal near Sohrab Goth.

The petitioners, alAzam services and other intercity bus operators, submitted in the petition that they were willing to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) formulated by the transport department to operate the intercity buses; however, the transport department was not allowing them to operate due to pressure of other bus operators who wanted to run intercity buses through illegal bus stands within the city.

A counsel for the petitioners submitted that superior courts had issued several directions for the removal of illegal intercity bus terminals from different parts of the city; however, no steps had been taken by the city district administration for the removal of such illegal

bus stands.

He submitted that the transport department had still not given permission for the operation of petitioners’ buses from the Karachi bus terminal near Sohrab Goth despite the fact that they were ready to completely comply with the SOPs formulated by the transport department.

The high court was requested to allow the petitioners to continue the operation of intercity buses from the terminal near Sohrab Goth and restrain the operations of intercity buses from illegal bus stands within the city.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Abdul Maalik Gaddi, after the preliminary hearing of the petition, issued notices to the transport secretary and others, and called their comments.

Oil marketing companies

The Sindh High Court has directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the federal government to file comments on petitions filed by four oil marketing companies against raids and the registration of an FIR against a company and its employees on complaints of hoarding of oil following a reduction in petroleum products’ prices in the country.

The court had earlier restrained the Federal Investigation Agency from taking coercive action against private oil marketing companies if they continued cooperation in the investigation by the FIA and proceedings being initiated by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority.

On Thursday, the court however directed the petitioners or representatives of the private oil marketing companies to meet the investigation officer of the FIA in his office along with all documents required by the FIA officer and the performa duly replied, which has been supplied to the petitioners’ counsel by the FIA.

The court observed that petitioners during such an investigation/inquiry shall be dealt with according to the law. Federal law officers sought time to file comments on the petitions. A high court division bench headed by Justice Abdul Maalik Gaddi granted time and directed the FIA and the federal law officer to file comments on the petitions

The petitioners’ counsel submitted in the petitions that Ogra issued a show-cause notice to the petitioners with regard to the hoarding and shortage of petroleum products in the country in the first week of June, which was replied to accordingly.

The counsel stated that despite the fact that Ogra initiated the process, the FIA also took cognizance of the matter and was acting malafidely and harassing the petitioners although they were fully ready to cooperate in the proceedings initiated by Ogra and the investigation undertaken by the FIA.

The court was informed that representatives of the oil marketing companies had appeared in the FIA officer on June 11, and gave an undertaking to continue managing its supply chain to ensure the balance of maintaining legal minimum critical stocks and ratably feeding its retail network on a daily basis throughout the month, besides maintaining a 21 days’ stock.

He said that despite such an appearance and the undertaking, the FIA issued a fresh notice not acknowledging the presence of the representative of the petitioner earlier and threatening to take ex-parte action if the petitioner failed to appear. The counsel questioned the proceedings and submitted that the FIA had no jurisdiction as per schedule of the FIA Act to start the investigation against companies.