The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday ordered to shift the offloading and handling of imported coal from Karachi Port to Port Qasim and directed to make necessary arrangements in six weeks. The larger bench of SC headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar at Karachi Registry took up the case of offloading of imported coal at Karachi Port and environment pollution and in its short order directed that dumping of coal at open places in the city would not be allowed.
The CJP observed that offloading coal in the heart of city is tantamount to playing with the lives of people of metropolis. "We are sitting here to dispense the justice and would do out job", Mian Saqib Nisar remarked and added that the step is being taken irrespective of it whether it pleases someone or annoy some one.
He observed that the investors are least bothered about the pollution being caused by the offloading of coal at the Karachi Port and declared that court would not let anyone to push the people of Karachi in polluted environment due to coal offloading.
"Nobody cares how coal dust is giving birth to different diseases in the city", the CJP stated and added that offloading of the coal at Karachi Port would not be allowed.
Earlier Chairman KPT vice Admiral Jameel Akhtar and Secretary Ports & Shipping Syed Mumtaz Shah appeared in the proceedings. The CJP asked Chairman KPT to come up with the alternative of coal offloading within one week.
Justice Sajjad Ali Shah said that coal import and its offloading is contributing to environment pollution, which is giving birth to throat and chest related diseases in the city.
Chairman KPT told the court that he has been busy for the last three months by meeting with the importers of coal to resolve the issue. "I want to put an end to coal offloading at Karachi Port but blamed that I am shifting the business to Port Qasim," he added.
He said that coal import offloading at Karachi Port is meant for promoting the business activities and it has nothing with just earning the money. CJP remarked that court would not allow anyone to cause dangers human lives in the guise of promoting the business activities and said that it is against the fundamental rights of the citizens.
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