SHC bars MPAs from voting during Senate elections over dog-bite incident

SUKKUR: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday barred members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) from voting during Senate elections if a dog-bite incident is reported from their constituency, ARY NEWS reported.

The court’s remarks came during a hearing of a plea for bringing a halt to increasing dog bite incidents in the province.

During a hearing at SHC Sukkur bench, Justice Aftab Ahmed said that the dog bite incident would lead to the suspension of the MPA of the constituency and the lawmaker would further not be able to vote during the upcoming Senate elections.

The judge further said that the salary of the concerned official in the area would also be stopped over any such incident and would be added to the provincial exchequer as surplus.

The government’s lawyer, however, opposed the idea of action against the lawmakers and said that they had nothing to do with the matter.

The judge, however, was not satisfied with the counselor’s remarks and said that they know who was getting commissions from the money earmarked for action against dog-bite incidents.

“It is better that we do not comment on the matter,” he said adding that it was the responsibility of the MPAs to safeguard the lives of the public.

Read More: Five officials booked as 13 people report dog bite cases in Matiari

The court’s hearing was later adjourned for March 16.

The SHC bench on October 21 expressed displeasure over rising dog-bite incidents in the province and ordered to register an FIR against the concerned municipal officer in case of a dog-bite incident.

The implementation upon the court order began after cases were registered against the chief municipal officer and a taluka official over such incidents in Rohri and other areas, said the SSP Sukkur.