KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday issued a notice to the federal government seeking its reply over the Pakistan Islands Development Authority Ordinance 2020.

A division bench of the SHC sought a report from the attorney-general for Pakistan and others after the assistant attorney-general informed the court that the ordinance had expired, and it had no legal status now.

He sought time from the court for submission of a written reply in the court, at which the SHC adjourned the hearing of the case by seeking the response from the federal government.

The ordinance was challenged by petitioner Shahab Usto stating that the federal territory in the sea starts after 12 nautical miles, and Bundal and Buddo islands fall in the jurisdiction of the province as they fall under 12 nautical miles.

On the last hearing of the case, the AGP had said that the federal government respected the resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly, and that the reservations of the provincial government would be removed.

AGP Khalid Javed Khan had further said that development at the islands would be done only after consultation with the PPP government. The president had promulgated in August last year the ordinance for establishing the Pakistan Islands Development Authority for “development and management of islands in internal and territorial waters of Pakistan”.

The petitioner submitted that the federal government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a foreign company for desalination plant on those islands.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar sought reply about the MoU on the desalination plant stating that the court should be informed about the stance of the government after the expiry of the presidential ordinance.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021