SHC orders Sindh govt to report progress on police rules within two weeks

KARACHI: A bench of Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday ordered the government to submit a report over the progress with regard to the police rules within two weeks while hearing a contempt of court plea filed against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Inspector General of Police.

A two-member bench of the high court, comprising Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Aziz ur Rehman, heard a petition regarding the new police rules.

Barrister Faisal Siddiqui, the petitioner’s counsel, said that the government wasn’t able to make police rules even in one and a half years.

The counsel argued before the bench that the court had asked the Sindh government in previous hearing to submit a report on the work done up on updating the police rules.

Barrister Siddiqui, said that the provincial government was blind, deaf and dumb and so it was not capable of doing anything.

Additional Advocate-General Barrister Shaharyar Mahar told the court that the government has made a whole Police Act 2019 with the consultation of the I.G. Police Sindh.

The AAG Sindh pleaded to the court for time so as the cabinet committee holds its meeting and forward the new set of police laws to the cabinet.

The bench ordered the government counsel to intimate the court about the committee’s proceedings and progress over the matter within two weeks.

The court adjourned further hearing until April 17.

Executive Director of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Karamat Ali had argued in his petition that the SHC had ordered to make changes in laws and rules regulating the appointment and transfer period of officials in the police department. The petitioner had requested for contempt proceedings as the government had failed to comply the orders.