Daily Times

KARACHI: The Supreme Court Karachi registry has directed the provincial authorities on Wednesday to inquire into the allegations of corrupt practices at the provincial ombudsman’s office and submit their response.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Mushir Alam directed the provincial law officer to submit the reply of the authorities by today.

A woman had approached the Supreme Court accusing the provincial ombudsman of coercing the aggrieved parties into negotiating compromises particularly in the cases of sexual harassment at workplaces.

Aneela Khan had written a letter to the Supreme Court, asking it to take notice of the alleged corrupt practices at the provincial ombudsman office.

While converting the letter into constitutional petition, the apex court had issued notices to the Sindh chief secretary, the provincial law officer, women development department’s secretary and Syed Peer Ali Shah, the provincial ombudsman to turn up and submit their responses.

In her letter, Aneela has submitted that the provincial ombudsman’s conduct in dealing with the cases of sexual harassment was suspicious as he was forcing compromises instead of bringing offenders to book.

“Syed Peer Ali Shah was appointed in 2012 and given extension because of his close intimacy with the former Sindh chief minister, which was illegal as there is no provision for such an extension of terms in law,” she said.

Being a woman it is my duty to bring it into your notice that the government is not concerned about the well being of the people especially women, she told the judges.

Aneela alleged that Syed had made appointments in the ombudsman office on the basis of favoritism and nepotism. “He is involved in financial corruption and has established a ghost NGO that is run by his family members.”

She told the judges that the cases and complaints sent to him are solved by forcing the parties to comprise instead of punishing or imposing fines on offenders.

Meanwhile, the bench gave the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) more time to carry out its operation for removal of barriers and security tents set up outside the residences of politicians, businessmen and other high-profile people residing in DHA.

During the hearing, Anwar Mansoor Khan submitted a report, informing the judges that the authority had given notices to the residents having set up security tents for security guards and barriers outside their houses to remove them before the set deadline. Afterwards, it would launch operation for their removal.

Justice (retd) Deedar Hussain Shah had written to the CJP requesting him to restrain the DHA from taking discriminatory action and removing of security tent pitched outside his house.