KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed the chief secretary to submit a comprehensive reply on an application seeking the contempt of court proceedings against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for not convening a meeting of the provincial cabinet to consider the Inspector General of Police’s (IGP) AD Khawaja submitted-draft of new rules for transfers and postings in the police department as per law.
A division bench was hearing an application filed by Faisal Siddiqui, representing the petitioner Karamat Ali, asking the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the Sindh CM for flouting its directives.
Siddiqui maintained that on September 7, 2017, the court in its judgment on AD Khawaja removal case had directed the police chief to draft new rules for setting out the manner of transfers and postings and submit the same before the provincial cabinet. He said that complying with the court’s directives, the provincial police chief had drafted new rules and sent the same to the Sindh cabinet on October 6, 2017.
“The provincial cabinet was supposed to consider new rules in its meeting specifically called for such purpose within 15 days of receiving the same from the IGP but the meeting was held after a delay of seven days and the drafted rules were not considered,” the petitioner added.
In the outset hearing, AD Khawaja had also confirmed the petitioner’s claim and informed the court that he had drafted new rules and sent the same to the Sindh cabinet.
“I had submitted my recommendations regarding newly drafted rules for transfers and postings to the provincial government,” the IGP had told the judges.
The court had on December 12 last year once again directed the Sindh government to convene its meeting within 15 days to consider the drafted rules as per law and submit the report before it.
The petitioner argued that despite clear directives of the court, the Sindh government had failed to consider the drafted rules, therefore the contempt of court proceedings should be initiated against the CM and others.
After hearing the arguments, the bench directed the chief secretary to furnish a comprehensive report in this regard by February 20.
