KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday took up a petition seeking compensation for the affectees of the Nasla Tower case.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Faisal Kamal and Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput heard the petition filed by MQM-P deputy convener and Sindh Assembly parliamentary party leader Kunwar Naveed Jamil.

“The case is pending in the Supreme Court. How can the high court hear it?” Justice Kamal asked the petitioner’s lawyer.

Adjourning the case until Dec 8, the bench directed the counsel to forward his arguments with regard to the maintainability of the petition on the next hearing.

The counsel stated that the apex court had dismissed a review petition in the Nasla Tower case. It has not yet been determined when and how the affectees will be given compensation.

On Oct 25, the Supreme Court directed the civic authorities to knock down the building within a week’s time through a controlled blast. “Why hasn’t the Nasla Tower been pulled down?” asked the chief justice, expressing displeasure over non-implementation of the SC order. The authorities concerned have not yet been able to decide how the high-rise would be pulled down.