The inordinate delay in appointment of law officers to represent federal government in courts of Sindh attracted strong observations from a division bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Nadeem Azhar Siddiqui.
When a contempt of court application, in a constitution petition challenging confiscation of a luxury vehicle by Pakistan Coast Guards (PCG) came up for hearing, the bench noted that order for placing record of the case was passed on October 13, 2005 but the same was not complied with till date.
Upon query, only Standing Counsel at Karachi Mehmood Alam Rizvi informed the bench that record and affidavit of concerned officer Major Jamshed Riaz Khan Bhatti could not be filed as no order was available in the record nor any letter was found in the office of the concerned then Standing Counsel. He became judge of this honourable court soon afterwards, SC Mehmood Alam Rizvi informed the bench.
The bench observed that that act fell within the ambit of contempt of court. How long adhocism will prevail in such an important institutions, the Chief Justice observed.
The federal representative told the court that he was already appearing before the court till 3:00 pm and when he reached his office, the staff normally left by that time.
The bench took serious exception to this state of affairs and directed that working and system of office of the Attorney General at Karachi should be improved. The CJ also directed that the copy of today's order should also be sent to the Attorney General Pakistan.
Hakeemuddin, owner of Toyota Hilux Surf, had moved the court maintaining that he purchased the vehicle from an open auction by PCG and paid all taxes besides other levies. He challenged the confiscation of the vehicle and prayed before the court to order PCG to return the vehicle.
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