SHC questions maintainability of petition against PPP ministers

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday asked a litigant to satisfy as to maintainability of his petition seeking disqualification of Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani and Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh over alleged connections with criminals.

A bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, was hearing the petition that sought constitution of a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the allegations levelled against both ministers.

The SHC directed the petitioner to come prepared on the next hearing to put forward his arguments on the maintainability of his plea.

Over the course of the hearing, the bench asked the litigant who should the court issue notice to.

Justice Mazhar asked him to explain which forums has he has availed to seek redressal of his grievance before approaching this court.

“Did you lodge an FIR against the ministers,” he further questioned.

The bench instructed the petitioner to approach this court when no one acts on his plea.

The judges, however, give him time to prepare his arguments to satisfy the court as to why this court proceed with his petition.

Earlier, the petitioner, a concerned citizen, had stated that the Sindh police’s reports expose the ministers’ alleged involvement in patronising criminal elements to gain political mileage and serve their vested interests.

He requested the SHC to form a JIT to probe into accusations levelled against them in these secret reports.

Shikarpur SSP Muhammad Rizwan Khan had compiled two “secret” reports, claiming Saeed Ghani and his brother had been facilitating drug peddlers in Mehmoodabad area in Karachi.

He claimed Farhan Ghani, brother of the minister, has been helping drug peddlers as an absconding drug dealer, Zaheer Ahmed, was also employed in his office.

Whereas, Imtiaz Shaikh allegedly used criminal connections to maintain his political position in Shikarpur. He also tried to influence the police through criminal elements.