The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued a notice to the widow of the alleged gangster Rehman Baloch on the application of the Sindh government seeking modification in the SHC order regarding the appointment of the investigation officer in Rehman Baloch’s encounter case.The police have registered an FIR against SSP Mohammad Aslam and his police party for the killing alleged gangster, Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch and his three associates in August last year. The court appointed DIG investigation, Bashir Memon to carryout the investigation after registration of the FIR.Questioning the appointment of DIG Bashir Memon as the investigation officer, Assistant Advocate General, Adnam Karim submitted that the court order for the appointment of the DIG be modified. He submitted that the IG Sindh is the competent authority to appoint an investigation officer. SHC’s division bench headed by Chief Justice, Sarmad Jalal Osmany after preliminary hearing of the application issued a notice to the complainant on February 18.Police inspector granted bail: The SHC granted interim pre-arrest bail to a police inspector in regard to an abduction case of a missing person.Jehangir Khan Mehar was booked along with DPO Imran Yaqoob and other army personnel at Faiz Ganj police station for allegedly kidnapping Hafiz Khan Mohammad on December 21, 2004. The FIR was registered following the order of the Supreme Court on complaint of the detainee’s relative, Hameed who was also unlawfully detained by the law enforcement agencies for ten months.LJ activists’ case: The Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) issued bailable warrants against the police inspector and medico legal officer for their absence as prosecution witnesses in the sectarian killing case.Mohammad Ajmal, Attaullah and Mohammad Azam were arraigned for killing the principal of Jamia Millia polytechnic college along with the driver and peon in May 2002. According to the prosecution, defendants killed Zafar Mehdi, the college principal, his driver and peon while they were on their way to college in an official vehicle. The case had been pending for the last eight years before the Anti Terrorism Court took the case.Sub inspector, Wahid Bux, who prepared an inquest report while medico legal officer of Jinah hospital, did not appear before the court for deposition. The court then issued their bailable warrants. Another prosecution witness, Tahir Nasir, a mashir of the case, however recorded the medico legal officer’s statement. ATC headed by Judge Anand Ram Hotwani, who was conducting the trial at the central prison, adjourned the hearing till February 20, directing Special Public Prosecutor, Mubashir Mirza to produce prosecution witnesses against the defendants.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Water quota unable to meet
Water quota unable to meet
While the population of the city is swelling at an estimated rate of 10 per cent per annum, the current quota of 650 million gallon per day (MGD) water has already been utilised, and the city faces the possibility of a drastic shortage of potable water, The News has learnt.The available 1,200 cusec water had been fully utilised till 2007, but ever since, not a single drop of water has been added to the allocated quota. Sources said that requests for an additional 1,200 cusec of water for Karachi have fallen on deaf ears in both the Sindh and the Federal government.Sources told The News that Karachi Nazim Mustafa Kamal wrote a letter to the Sindh additional chief Secretary on June 27, 2009, requesting that an additional 1,200 cusecs of water be made available for the city. However, no decision has been reached at in this context till now, sources maintained. It is pertinent to mention that Karachi currently receives 550 million gallon per day (MGD) from the River Indus and 100 MGD from Hub Dam; the total supply of fresh water thus amounts to 650 MGD, which is equivalent to 1,200 cusecs.Following the Karachi Nazim’s letter, a summary was moved by the Sindh planning and development (P&D) department to the provincial chief minister, who in turn, scheduled a meeting on this matter. However, sources added, this meeting could not be held till now. Sources said that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had carried out the Master Plan study on water supply and sewerage system, and in its final report submitted to the Sindh government in 2008 had recommended an additional allocation of 1200 cusec water quota.JICA, in its study, had also discussed the extraordinary growing rate of the population of the city, which currently stands at around 18 million. This population is swelling at a rate of 10 to 12 per cent per annum, with several factors, including that of large-scale internal displacement contributing to this increase.Sources said that the case was also referred to the federal government, who in its reply, had advised the Sindh government to arrange 1,200 cusecs of water for Karachi from within its own allocation of water. However, the matter could not be resolved as yet, sources said, adding that without the allocation of the additional quota, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) is unable to proceed further on the K-4 Project.The paucity of fresh water in the city can be gauged through the fact that contrary to the standard practice of water supply throughout the day, each day of the week, water is only supplied for four to six hours in some areas of the city, and that too, on an irregular basis. Given the prevailing circumstance and available resources, the standard practice cannot be maintained in Karachi.Sources said that according to the K-4 project feasibility report, the plan entails completing the project in five phases; each phase would enable the supply of 130 MGD water. As per the study, the first phase of the K-4 project was to begin in 2009, and it was supposed to be completed in 2012. Similarly, according to the feasibility of the project, the fifth and the final phase of K-4 was supposed to be completed till 2025, and it would cater to a total supply of 650 MGD of water. It is pertinent to mention here that geographic information system (GIS) would be used for materializing K-4 Project to cater to future requirements of fresh water in the city.
Water quota unable to meet
Water quota unable to meet
While the population of the city is swelling at an estimated rate of 10 per cent per annum, the current quota of 650 million gallon per day (MGD) water has already been utilised, and the city faces the possibility of a drastic shortage of potable water, The News has learnt.The available 1,200 cusec water had been fully utilised till 2007, but ever since, not a single drop of water has been added to the allocated quota. Sources said that requests for an additional 1,200 cusec of water for Karachi have fallen on deaf ears in both the Sindh and the Federal government.Sources told The News that Karachi Nazim Mustafa Kamal wrote a letter to the Sindh additional chief Secretary on June 27, 2009, requesting that an additional 1,200 cusecs of water be made available for the city. However, no decision has been reached at in this context till now, sources maintained. It is pertinent to mention that Karachi currently receives 550 million gallon per day (MGD) from the River Indus and 100 MGD from Hub Dam; the total supply of fresh water thus amounts to 650 MGD, which is equivalent to 1,200 cusecs.Following the Karachi Nazim’s letter, a summary was moved by the Sindh planning and development (P&D) department to the provincial chief minister, who in turn, scheduled a meeting on this matter. However, sources added, this meeting could not be held till now. Sources said that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had carried out the Master Plan study on water supply and sewerage system, and in its final report submitted to the Sindh government in 2008 had recommended an additional allocation of 1200 cusec water quota.JICA, in its study, had also discussed the extraordinary growing rate of the population of the city, which currently stands at around 18 million. This population is swelling at a rate of 10 to 12 per cent per annum, with several factors, including that of large-scale internal displacement contributing to this increase.Sources said that the case was also referred to the federal government, who in its reply, had advised the Sindh government to arrange 1,200 cusecs of water for Karachi from within its own allocation of water. However, the matter could not be resolved as yet, sources said, adding that without the allocation of the additional quota, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) is unable to proceed further on the K-4 Project.The paucity of fresh water in the city can be gauged through the fact that contrary to the standard practice of water supply throughout the day, each day of the week, water is only supplied for four to six hours in some areas of the city, and that too, on an irregular basis. Given the prevailing circumstance and available resources, the standard practice cannot be maintained in Karachi.Sources said that according to the K-4 project feasibility report, the plan entails completing the project in five phases; each phase would enable the supply of 130 MGD water. As per the study, the first phase of the K-4 project was to begin in 2009, and it was supposed to be completed in 2012. Similarly, according to the feasibility of the project, the fifth and the final phase of K-4 was supposed to be completed till 2025, and it would cater to a total supply of 650 MGD of water. It is pertinent to mention here that geographic information system (GIS) would be used for materializing K-4 Project to cater to future requirements of fresh water in the city.
Two killed in firing incidents
Two killed in firing incidents
Two people were killed in two different firing incidents on Friday.Sheraz, 25, an employee of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board sustained bullet wounds in a clash between two groups in Ayub Goth situated in the Sohrab Goth police limits. The armed men after injuring him managed to flee from the scene.The area people took him to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) in a critical condition where during treatment he succumbed to his injuries.The area police lodged an FIR against unknown people.Akram Qureshi, 35, an owner of a cattle farm was shot dead when unidentified people barged into his house situated in Gulistan-e-Jauhar in Block-14 in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar police jurisdiction and managed to flee.Police said that the deceased divorced his wife a few months back and they suspect his brother-in-law to be involved in this murder. However, the police claimed that this murder was due to some personal enmity. mishaps: Yaseen, 18, was knocked down to death when a speeding hit-and-run vehicle ran him over near the Northern Bypass in the Manghopir police limits while he was going on his bicycle.Shahab Ali Khan, 25, was injured when a speeding minibus of route W-55 ran him over near the 4-K bus stop in the Surjani Town police jurisdiction. The driver of the minibus managed to flee after leaving his vehicle abandoned. The angry mob after the incident came out on the road and started pelting stones on passer-by vehicles. They also torched the abandoned bus. Later the area police reached the spot and controlled the situation.
Two people were killed in two different firing incidents on Friday.Sheraz, 25, an employee of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board sustained bullet wounds in a clash between two groups in Ayub Goth situated in the Sohrab Goth police limits. The armed men after injuring him managed to flee from the scene.The area people took him to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) in a critical condition where during treatment he succumbed to his injuries.The area police lodged an FIR against unknown people.Akram Qureshi, 35, an owner of a cattle farm was shot dead when unidentified people barged into his house situated in Gulistan-e-Jauhar in Block-14 in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar police jurisdiction and managed to flee.Police said that the deceased divorced his wife a few months back and they suspect his brother-in-law to be involved in this murder. However, the police claimed that this murder was due to some personal enmity. mishaps: Yaseen, 18, was knocked down to death when a speeding hit-and-run vehicle ran him over near the Northern Bypass in the Manghopir police limits while he was going on his bicycle.Shahab Ali Khan, 25, was injured when a speeding minibus of route W-55 ran him over near the 4-K bus stop in the Surjani Town police jurisdiction. The driver of the minibus managed to flee after leaving his vehicle abandoned. The angry mob after the incident came out on the road and started pelting stones on passer-by vehicles. They also torched the abandoned bus. Later the area police reached the spot and controlled the situation.
Six killed in separate incidents
Six killed in separate incidents
Six people were killed in separate incidents reported in the city on Tuesday. The body of a labourer, 30-year-old Kabeer Khan, bearing marks of physical torture was found from within the Sohrab Goth police limits. Sohrab Goth SHO Nasir-ul-Hassan said that Khan’s body was found hanging inside his house in Lasi Goth. He was reportedly killed by his wife, 22-year-old Fatima. The police have arrested her. In the course of investigation, it was found that late Monday night, Khan went off to sleep after dinner. Fatima had reportedly laced the food with some poisonous substance. Afterwards, with the help of her lover, she strangled her husband to death. A case was registered and investigation is under way.In another case, the bullet-riddled body of 23-year-old Nazeer, also bearing marks of physical torture, was found from the Pak Colony police limits. Pak Colony SHO, Aslam, said that the body was found from the Lyari river passing through Pak Colony. During probe, it was found that the deceased went out from his house late Monday night telling his family that he was going out to dinner with friends in Lasbella. When he failed to return for a long time, the family approached his friends but no one had a clue regarding his whereabouts. Later on Tuesday, Nazeer’s body was found from the area.In yet another case, 50-year-old Mohammed Mustafa was shot dead by armed men in a land dispute in the Saeedabad police limits. The police said that the deceased had some land dispute running with a party. Five days ago, Mustafa’s brother had registered a case at the Saeedabad police station regarding Mustafa’s kidnapping from Baldia Town. He had nominated some people in the case. The police had arrested a suspect nominated in the FIR. The police, however, had failed to trace Mustafa. On Tuesday morning, his bullet-riddled body was found near the G-27 bus stop. Meanwhile, Saeed Taj, a scrap dealer, was shot dead by armed men in the Soldier Bazaar police limits. The police said that the deceased was going towards his house in Garden, when armed motorbike riders killed him and fled. BODIES FOUND: The torture mark-bearing bodies of two men were found from the Korangi Industrial Area and the Kalakot police limits. On informatiopn, the Kalakot police recovered the body of an unidentified person who had been brutally tortured. A case was registered.In another case, the body of a 22- to 25-year-old man was found from the KIA police limits. A case was registered at the police station.
Chehlum suspect arrested by CID
Chehlum suspect arrested by CID
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in coordination with the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA), have arrested a man suspected of involvement in the February 5 blast at Nursery.Intelligence sources said that while investigating the twin blasts reported on Chelum (February 5), teams from the CID and other departments had collected evidence and video footage from CCTV cameras installed along Sharea Faisal. The footage showed a man parking a motorcycle at the blast spot (Shahrah-e-Quaideen Bridge, Nursery). Pictures of the man were then obtained through the video footage, and taken to the NADRA office, where it was found that the suspect was a resident of Bazerta Lines in Jutt Lane, Brigade.The CID investigation team then carried out a raid and arrested the suspect, who was identified as Khalid. He was taken to the investigation unit for interrogation. Meanwhile, no officer from the Sindh police, including the CID Sindh, has confirmed the man’s arrest. According to another source, Khalid was released after his statement was recorded.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in coordination with the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA), have arrested a man suspected of involvement in the February 5 blast at Nursery.Intelligence sources said that while investigating the twin blasts reported on Chelum (February 5), teams from the CID and other departments had collected evidence and video footage from CCTV cameras installed along Sharea Faisal. The footage showed a man parking a motorcycle at the blast spot (Shahrah-e-Quaideen Bridge, Nursery). Pictures of the man were then obtained through the video footage, and taken to the NADRA office, where it was found that the suspect was a resident of Bazerta Lines in Jutt Lane, Brigade.The CID investigation team then carried out a raid and arrested the suspect, who was identified as Khalid. He was taken to the investigation unit for interrogation. Meanwhile, no officer from the Sindh police, including the CID Sindh, has confirmed the man’s arrest. According to another source, Khalid was released after his statement was recorded.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Move to restart KCR
Move to restart KCR
Sindh cabinet on Thursday decided to consider restarting Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), keeping in view its importance to the commuters.This decision was made in a cabinet meeting chaired by Governor Azim Daudpota. Minister for Labour, Dewan Yousuf Farooq, underlined the need to formulate a feasibility to run the KCR and elicit involvement of the private sector on a BOT (build-own-transfer) basis. Participants of the meeting were of the view that despite an annual loss of Rs. 5 million to the Railway Ministry, the KRC should have been kept operational because it facilitated the people of Karachi.Sindh chief secretary supported the idea of keeping the circular railway functional and said that the land given to Railways on lease for the purpose could not be utilized for any other purpose. He underlined the need for some interim arrangement to run the circular railway.The cabinet formed a committee to prepare a comprehensive engineering and feasibility study and submit the report as early as possible for implementation and monitoring of the short term action plan. The committee will be headed by minister labour and Transport, and secretaries Labour and Finance departments, and commissioner Karachi will be its members.Jails’ conditions also came up for discussion with particular reference to foreign convicts and detainees. It was decided that the Home Department would send such cases to the Law Department to sort out these cases in consultation with the federal government.The cabinet also considered the construction of a pipeline to prevent oil tankers from coming to Karachi’s roads. Commissioner Karachi briefed the cabinet members on phasing out tankers from Karachi roads and their concentration at Keamari near the port. He said the requirement for Karachi was 400 tankers per day and for the rest of the country, it was 550 tankers per day.He also briefed the cabinet on the lack of safety measure at Keamari, lack of cooperation by concerned agencies in case of oil spillage and use of all city roads by the vehicles going upcountry.
Sindh cabinet on Thursday decided to consider restarting Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), keeping in view its importance to the commuters.This decision was made in a cabinet meeting chaired by Governor Azim Daudpota. Minister for Labour, Dewan Yousuf Farooq, underlined the need to formulate a feasibility to run the KCR and elicit involvement of the private sector on a BOT (build-own-transfer) basis. Participants of the meeting were of the view that despite an annual loss of Rs. 5 million to the Railway Ministry, the KRC should have been kept operational because it facilitated the people of Karachi.Sindh chief secretary supported the idea of keeping the circular railway functional and said that the land given to Railways on lease for the purpose could not be utilized for any other purpose. He underlined the need for some interim arrangement to run the circular railway.The cabinet formed a committee to prepare a comprehensive engineering and feasibility study and submit the report as early as possible for implementation and monitoring of the short term action plan. The committee will be headed by minister labour and Transport, and secretaries Labour and Finance departments, and commissioner Karachi will be its members.Jails’ conditions also came up for discussion with particular reference to foreign convicts and detainees. It was decided that the Home Department would send such cases to the Law Department to sort out these cases in consultation with the federal government.The cabinet also considered the construction of a pipeline to prevent oil tankers from coming to Karachi’s roads. Commissioner Karachi briefed the cabinet members on phasing out tankers from Karachi roads and their concentration at Keamari near the port. He said the requirement for Karachi was 400 tankers per day and for the rest of the country, it was 550 tankers per day.He also briefed the cabinet on the lack of safety measure at Keamari, lack of cooperation by concerned agencies in case of oil spillage and use of all city roads by the vehicles going upcountry.
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