SHC directs govt to issue notification of Sindh AIDS Commission

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) Tuesday directed the provincial authorities to issue a notification with regard to the establishment of the Sindh AIDS Commission and submit a compliance report in this regard by Sept 17, reported ARY News.

A bench of the high court gave this direction while hearing a petition seeking setting up of the Sindh AIDS Commission at the earliest.

Over the course of the hearing, the bench observed the Sindh government had failed to set up the commission over the past six years.

A petitioner, Masroor Ali Shah, stated before the court that the commission was supposed to be set up immediately after the enactment of Sindh HIV and AIDS Control, Treatment and Protection Act in 2013 in the Sindh Assembly. But, it has not been established yet, he complained.

He pleaded that the government be directed to set up the commission.

Last month, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had announced an allocation of Rs600mn to tackle outbreak of HIV virus in the province.

Talking to a delegation of US organization Gilead Sciences led by its Vice President Clifford Samuel in Karachi, CM Murad said, “The provincial government has also established endowment fund of one billion rupees for rehabilitation of HIV affected people.”

He said over 32,000 people were screened, out of whom more than 900, including over 700 children, were detected HIV positive.