The Sindh High Court on Monday issued a show-cause notice to the provincial home secretary and police chief to explain why proceeding for disobeying and disrespecting the directions of the court should not be initiated against them.
The home secretary and IG Sindh have been directed to show up in the court on Tuesday to explain their failure to implement the court’s directions regarding the provision of security to the father of slain Suleman Lashari, an 18-year student allegedly killed by the SSP’s son, and his guards, and witnesses to his murder.
A division bench, headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was hearing a contempt of court application filed by Ghulam Mustafa Lashari, who requested the court to proceed against the provincial authorities for defying its court orders.
The petitioner submitted that despite court orders and repeated requests, the official respondents did not provide him and his witnesses with sufficient security.
He stated that he was continuously receiving threats from Ghulam Sarwar Abro, SSP of Police Training Centre, Sakrand, father of prime suspect Salman Abro. Therefore, he said, his life was in danger and he needed immediate security.
On February 20, the court, while keeping in view the sensitive nature of the case in which a SSP’s son was being tried for the murder, had directed the home secretary as well as IG Sindh to provide all possible protection to the petitioner and his witnesses. They were further directed to provide police escorts comprising at least six duly armed police officials. The men were to be placed at the investigation officer’s disposal for taking the witnesses to court.
Later, the petitioner filed a contempt of court application, submitting that the court’s order was not complied with. Therefore, the court was pleaded with to initiate contempt proceedings against the provincial authorities for failing to provide security.
When the application was taken up, the bench asked the authorities to explain their failure to provide security to the petitioner and his witnesses. On Monday, upon their failure to respond to the court directions, the bench issued show-cause notice to the home secretary and IG Sindh.