SC rejects plea seeking suspension of flood monitoring committees

Author: Agencies

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the Sindh government’s petition seeking a stay order against the Sindh High Court (SHC) interim order regarding formation of committees to oversee flood relief work.

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah heard the Sindh government’s plea and issued notices to the concerned parties.

The SHC Sukkur and Larkana benches had formed committees to monitor the relief and rehabilitation work of the flood victims. The Sindh government had challenged the interim order in the Supreme Court.

However, the apex court during the course of proceedings directed committees formed to continue their work. The court stopped the committees formed under the chairmanship of a civil judge from interfering or controlling rehabilitation work.

The court also directed the committees to submit progress reports on the rehabilitative work to the SHC.

The public prosecutor said that district and sessions judges had been overseeing all rescue operations, and in the presence of judicial supervision, the appeal for further regulation was not admissible.

The chief justice said that the natural disaster had affected the lives of people. He said the Sindh government considered the formation of committees to be an interference in the relief operation on part of the executive. The court would issue notices to the parties of the case, he added.

Advocate General Sindh pleaded the court to suspend the SHC orders.

Justice Mansoor said that the high court had issued the decision for the protection of fundamental rights. “The court would issue stay order if it deemed appropriate in the future,” he added. Subsequently, hearing of the case was adjourned until next week.

It may further be noted that earlier in September, an application had been filed with the apex court seeking the provision of basic rights and assistance to the flood victims in Sindh. The plea had requested the apex court to order the complete implementation of the decision on its 2011 suo motu notice related to floods.