The Sindh High Court on Monday issued notice to the federal and provincial law officers on a petition seeking action against over 1000 sunstroke deaths caused by load shedding and water shortage during current hellish heat wave.
A division bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi was hearing the petition filed by Advocate Moulvi Iqbal Haider and two others through which they sought action against the federal and provincial government and K-Electric (KE) for failing to ensure supply of water and electricity that led to the deaths of citizens in the current scorching weather.
The petitioners named secretary Law & Justice, secretary Power & Energy Sources, chairman Privatization Commission and Sindh chief secretary, director general Health and Chairman Water & Sewerage Board as respondents.
In the petition, it was submitted that over 1,000 deaths of people were caused by heatstroke and intense heat wave and humidity coupled with shortage of water and electricity. They added the respondents had failed to discharge their constitutional duties and left the citizens at the mercy of nature.
They pleaded that an artificial water crisis was created with at the behest of tanker mafia who sold water at exorbitant rates. The petitioner said Sindh government had also failed to provide proper healthcare facilities to the citizens which had made the problems more acute for the populacde.
They said that the federal and provincial governments laid blame on each other but no one was ready to take the responsibility for unprecedented causalities.
The petitioners pleaded the court to declare that provincial and federal governments and K-electric were responsible for the deaths of innocent people in Karachi. The court was further requested to declare that respondents are bound to provide basic facilities including water & power.
from arresting them.
