Varsities Amend Bill: SHC gives last chance to govt for filing reply

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) here Thursday gave last chance to the lawyer of provincial government of Sindh to submit their reply to the petition challenging the Sindh Universities Amendment Bill 2018.

As per details, a SHC bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Agha Faisal heard the constitutional petition filed by Pasban Chairman Altaf Shakoor, challenging the Sindh Universities Amendment Bill 2018.

During the hearing, the  court asked the government lawyer if he has brought the reply of the Sindh government. However, the government lawyer told the court that the Pasban lawyer had not provided them the copy of their constitutional petition.

On this, Pasban lawyer Irfan Aziz Advocate submitted the written proof before the court that the copy had already been provided to the government lawyer and it was also duly received by him.

The bench expressed displeasure over the government lawyer and told him that the last chance is given to him to submit the reply of the provincial government of Sindh and do not waste the precious time of the court. The court later adjourned the hearing till date in office.

Earlier, the Pasban lawyer submitted before the court that the government lawyer should be asked to tell the exact date on which he would file his reply.

He said the provincial government and its lawyer so far have failed to appreciate and understand the sensitivity of the matter, as future of students of Sindh province is at the stake due to political interference in the government-run universities.

However, according to the petition, the law was passed with mala fide intent and it would close doors of education to students of urban areas of the province.

The petition says that after the passage of the act, universities were no longer independent institutions as government representatives would occupy eight to ten seats in their syndicates.