A court issued contempt-of-court notices on Tuesday to the current and the former station house officers (SHOs) of the Defence police station among other respondents and directed them to appear in-person before the court on September 29. Additional District and Sessions Judge South Karachi Shahid Ali Chandio was hearing a contempt-of-court plea filed by Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) employee Muhammad Bashir – through his lawyers Haq Nawaz Talpur and Kamran Ali Hakro – for initiating contempt proceedings against the Defence SHO, duty officer and other officials concerned for not complying with court orders.
On Sept 16, the same judge had ordered the Defence SHO to lodge a case against the KESC CEO and the security officers posted at the head office of the power utility. The petitioner had moved the application under Section 22-A of Criminal Procedure Code, stating that he along with some other union members and employees of KESC had gone to the power utility’s head office to collect their due salary of four months. However, he claimed that the security officers opened fire at the behest of KESC CEO Tabish Gauhar, injuring the plaintiff and some other employees.
The applicant prayed that the court direct the police officials concerned to register the case against Gauhar.The applicant further stated that the SHO and the duty officer despite court orders had overlooked the court order by refusing to register the case.
Meanwhile, the same court postponed the hearing for bail applications of 29 arrested KESC employees, including labour union chairman Akhlaq Ahmed, until Sep 29 as the KESC’s counsel requested the court for granting more time for final arguments.
