The Sindh government on Wednesday opposed the publication of reports of joint investigations teams (JITs), saying that these reports of inquiries would be presented in trial court seized with various criminal cases.
Provincial government's attorney told a division bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) which was hearing the petition of Ali Haider Zaidi, a leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and now a federal minister seeking publication of reports of inquiries into high-profile criminal acts allegedly committed with the involvement of politicians
Ali Zaidi moved the court against provincial government for not providing reports compiled by joint investigation teams (JITs) that had investigated Baldia Factory fire incident, alleged crimes of Lyari gang-war's head Uzair Baloch and cases against the former Chairperson of Fishermen Cooperative Society, Nisar Moarai under Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act.
The petitioner argued that Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2011 had been passed by the Sindh Assembly, which granted the right to obtain information in according with the provision of this law.
Umar Soomro, counsel for petitioner contended that publication of JITs reports is in line with the clauses of the law. About presentation of JIT reports in trial courts, counsel argued that challans of the cases are submitted in the trial courts
Petitioner claimed that despite requesting Chief Secretary Sindh many times to provide copies of the JIT reports, the petitioner was not able to receive these copies. Petitioner contended that families of the victims of Baldia Factory fire, Lyari gang-war and those aggrieved by crimes committed by Morai deserved justice.
He contended that the publication of the JIT reports is important to ensure that the true culprits are not able to evade justice and cited the reports of the media that during investigations, JIT obtained evidence of the involvement of the various politicians in these crimes.
Bench sought the arguments from the Sindh government on next hearing, which would be held on October 19, 2018. Meanwhile, a petition was filed in election tribunal headed by SHC judge over alleged rigging in PS-100 of Karachi. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)'s candidate Taj Mohammad Wasan moved the tribunal against Karim Bux of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who won the provincial assembly seat seeking his disqualification.
Petitioner said that winner is defaulter on electricity bills and didn't declare it in the nomination papers. "Karim Bux submitted a fake affidavit to contest the general election, thus he is not Sadiq & Amin", the petitioner contended. Tribunal issued the notices to Election Commission of Pakistan (PTI) and MPA Karim Bux and directed them to submit their replies by October 24, 2018.