Registration of 250 students: SC dismisses petition of Pharmacy Council of Pakistan

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday dismissed the petition of Pharmacy Council of Pakistan (PCP) against the registration of 250 students, passed out from Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology. At Karachi Registry, SC's bench headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed ordered PCP to register over 250 students and award degrees to the successful candidates. PCP had challenged the Sindh High Court (SHC)'s decision, which ruled in favour of the students in SC. The SHC had given the council two months to register the students without re-examination.
During the hearing, council's counsel stated that they are ready to register the students. However, they must take the exams again. Justice Gulzar Ahmed directed him to present the rule under which the students had to take re-exams.
The lawyer argued that there were irregularities in the students' exams to which the judge asked whether the irregularities were committed by the students themselves. What are you punishing these students for, he asked.
Upholding the SHC's verdict, the SC dismissed the council's petition. Registration of six batches of the students is pending since 2010.
Meanwhile, Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC)'s Anti-Encroachment Cell submitted a report about the details of operations against encroachment in a meeting at Karachi Registry of the SC, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed.
The report is related to removal of illegally constructed marriage halls, illegal parking and temporary stalls at 35 places of the city.
According to the report, 143 illegally built shops and 300 illegal constructed structures in front of the shops at Daud Chowrangi, 55 cabins, 150 extended structures and 148 walls were razed at Mehran Highway and illegally constructed 70 walls, 20 extended structures and 25 sun shades were demolished at Fish Market Nishtar Road.
In Khajoor Market, 25 shops, 30 wall fixers, 30 extended structure, constructed illegally were demolished and 300 extended structures and 28 walls, constructed illegally in Sarafa Bazaar were razed.
In Pak Colony, illegally constructed 81 shops and 20 walls were demolished whereas 22 shops, 70 cabins and 71 sun shades constructed illegally in Baldia Town were demolished.
At Karachi Registry, SC also took up the issue of illegal occupation of land of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB). Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director appeared before court.
Deputy Managing Director told the meeting that KMC, Land Utilization Department and Commissioner Karachi will get Water Board the land, whose ownership documents are not with the board under the orders of apex court.