KARACHI: The Sindh High Court warned the provincial authorities about not removing the Sindh chief minister’s adviser on law Barrister Murtaza Wahab, contempt of court proceedings will be initiated against them in this regard . Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, who headed a division bench, expressed extreme displeasure when he was informed that the notification regarding Wahab’s removal was not issued yet. He directed the Sindh chief secretary to de-notify him and submit the notification on Jan 31. A two-member bench directed the Sindh chief secretary to inform it of whether any emoluments were paid to the adviser after it’s judgment declaring his appointment as illegal. At the outset, Advocate General Zameer Ghumro informed the judges that Wahab was stopped from discharging his duties as adviser but the notification regarding his removal could not be issued as the chief minister was at Hyderabad. He added that since the chief minister had returned of late the notification would be issued shortly. Advocate Fareed Ahmed Dayo pointed out that Murtaza Wahab was drawing salaries and perks for last two months even after his appointment had been declared illegal. He had filed an application seeking contempt of court proceedings against the provincial authorities for not removing the Sindh chief minister’s adviser on law in violation of the court’s judgment. In his application, Dayo submitted that the court’s judgment was not being implemented as the law adviser was still continuing his service and attending cabinet meetings. He, therefore, requested the judges to initiate contempt proceedings against the authorities concerned. Earlier on Nov 22, the court had given a detailed verdict declaring the exercise of ministerial powers by the advisers as illegal. It also declared the appointment of Murtaza Wahab as the adviser to the Sindh CM on law has been termed void and of no legal standing. The bench pronounced its verdict on the petition of Advocate Fareed Ahmed Dayo, who had challenged Wahab’s appointment and his ministerial portfolio. Meanwhile, another bench granted an application seeking urgent hearing of the appeal filed by convict Omer Saeed Sheikh sentenced to death for beheading American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. The bench has set March 3 for the hearing and issued notices to prosecutor general and jail authorities. Daniel Pearl, the South Asia bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal, was kidnapped on January 23, 2002, from Karachi and later beheaded by his captors. Sheikh, the key suspect, was tried and sentenced to death for kidnapping and killing the US journalist. Whereas his accomplices – Fahad Naseem, Syed Salman Saqib and Sheikh Muhammad Adil – were awarded life imprisonment with a fine of Rs500,000 each on July 15, 2002. The court also directed the convicts to pay Rs2 million to the victim’s widow, Marianne Pearl. The condemned prisoner approached the high court challenging his conviction by the anti-terrorism court (ATC). The prosecution had also filed an appeal seeking enhancement of punishment of thee co-accused from life imprisonment into capital punishment. Sheikh’s lawyer told the judges that his client was shifted to Karachi from Hyderabad and was being kept in solitary confinement meant for death convicts in violation of the jail rules as his appeal is pending disposal since long. He requested the court to order the authorities to provide his client facilitates according to the jail manual.