Sindh seeks transfer of dog bite case from Sukkur bench

KARACHI: The Advocate General Sindh on Friday filed an application before the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, requesting the CJ to transfer the proceedings of petitions in which SHC’s Sukkur bench had suspended the membership of two Pakistan People’s Party MPAs from Sindh over increasing dog bite incidents in their respective constituencies, to the high court’s principal seat at Karachi.

The AG Sindh submitted that SHC’s Sukkur bench order was issued in violation of the Supreme Court’s order in which the latter had reiterated that high courts do not enjoy suo moto jurisdiction under Article 199 of the Constitution. He submitted that SHC’s Sukkur bench order, authored by Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar, amounts to interference in the functioning of the legislative and executive organs of the Sindh government despite knowledge of the SC order.

He submitted that the Sindh government no longer feels that it can be treated fairly, justly and in accordance with the law by any bench in which Justice Gorar was a member.

He requested the CJ SHC to transfer the petitions about dog bite incidents from Sukkur bench to SHC’s Karachi principal seat and no case in which Sindh government or its departments are party, be fixed before Justice Gorar.

The SHC’s Sukkur bench had suspended the membership of two PPP MPAs Faryal Talpur and Malik Asad Sikandar over increasing number of dog bite incidents in their respective constituencies.

The court observed that MPAs did nothing to ensure people’s safety in their constituencies. The court also directed the remaining members of the provincial assembly to supervise the ongoing drive against dog bite cases 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.