KARACHI: Appointing Justice Ameer Hani Muslim of the Supreme Court as head of the judicial commission probing into the Sindh government’s alleged failure in providing basic necessities to the people, the Chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar asked all stakeholders, including Mayor Karachi and the provincial government’s officials to work for the betterment of citizens by keeping the politics aside.
The CJP passed these remarks while heading a three-member apex court bench that was hearing a constitutional petition filed by Advocate Shahab Usto who had sought better sanitation facilities, environment and portable drinking.
Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah were other two members of the bench that heard the public welfare cases on Sunday in an unprecedented manner at its Karachi registry.
In the outset of the hearing, the CJP remarked, “Let the city mayor come, we would ask from him that what is he doing for the people who have elected him. Is he not performing his duties or he is barred from doing so”.
After a little while, Waseem Akhtar appeared before the court and decried the worsening civic conditions of the city, saying that Karachi’s sewerage system had been destroyed, several drains were encroached upon and the water was being sold through illegal hydrants.
Justice Nisar asked the mayor were these problems occurred during his (Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s) tenure as his party had been ruling Karachi for quite a long time, reported. “You are a city mayor and the real representative of the citizens. We need your help and want you to work for finding the solutions by putting politics and past affairs behind. We should work for the betterment as a team,” said the CJP. On which, Akhtar assured the judges that he would take all-out efforts to resolve these issues and would keep the political differences aside.
“Are the Karachiites satisfied with the performance of their elected representatives,” Justice Nisar asked the mayor, and he replied, No Sir.
The court directed Akhtar to inform it about his recommendations in this regard within a week.
Meanwhile, the Sindh chief secretary, Rizwan Memon, appeared before the bench and requested it to allow the provincial government 15-day time for submitting the details of the projects that would be completed within six months, reported.
The CJP appointed Justice Ameer Hani Muslim as the commission head and directed the Sindh government to provide him an office and due security. The apex court also authorized the commission’s head to initiate the contempt of court’s proceedings against the delinquent officials.