Surging dog bite cases: SHC suspends membership of Faryal, Sikandar

SUKKUR: In an unprecedented development, the Sindh High Court (SHC), Sukkur Bench, on Thursday suspended the membership of two PPP MPAs from Sindh over increasing cases of dog bite incidents in their respective constituencies.

The Sindh High Court, Circuit Bench, Sukkur, comprising Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar and Justice Faheem Ahmed Siddiqui, suspended the provincial assembly membership of MPA from Ratodero, Faryal Talpur and MPA from Jamshoro, Malik Asad Sikandar for "doing nothing to ensure people's safety in their constituencies against dog bites." The Sindh High Court, in its order, directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to issue the suspension notification of their provincial assembly membership. In its judgment, the honourable bench held that the MPAs had failed to ensure safety of the people of their constituencies.

In its written ruling, the SHC bench said, “the dog bite cases are increasing rapidly day-by-day, which shows that all the MPAs being elected have failed to provide facilities to the poor people of their constituencies, especially, in aforesaid pointed out Taluka and district. In such a situation, the membership of MPAs elected from Ratadero and Jamshoro is hereby suspended." The bench also warned other lawmakers of suspending their membership if they do not supervise drive against dog bites in their respective constituencies. “The remaining members of provincial assembly are once again directed to supervise the ongoing drive against dog bite cases, and ensure that in future no dog bite case happens and if any case of dog bite is reported, the member of provincial assembly of that constituency shall be held responsible and their membership may be suspended,” said the order.

The SHC, in its written order, also sought an explanation from the secretary Sindh Assembly for non-compliance with court orders. The court also ordered the secretary local government and secretary health, Government of Sindh, to submit their progress reports in the court in person on the next date of hearing. The court also directed the secretary health to ensure anti-dog bite vaccine in all the hospitals, including Basic Health Units, Rural Health Units and dispensaries, and to inform the SHC bench about the number of vaccines made available in each of the hospitals.

The court adjourned the case till March 31. The Sindh High Court, Sukkur Bench, had ordered to suspend the membership of MPAs in case of dog bite incidents in their constituencies, in its ruling passed on March 16.