KARACHI: Sindh High Court chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah declined to hear a petition seeking the constitution of a larger bench to inquire into the 12 May mayhem case. The SHC CJ rescued himself from the bench seized with hearing of the petition seeking judicial inquiry into the 12 May riots and referred the matter to the bench headed by senior pusine judge, Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh. He said that he cannot proceed with the matter since he is among the affecttees of the 12 May mayhem. Syed Iqbal Kazmi had petitioned the high court requesting it to constitute a full bench to hear the 12 May mayhem case. More than 50 people were killed and over 100 vehicles set ablaze in the city in 2007 during the visit of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. The former CJP had arrived to address the legal fraternity, who had gathered to protest against the military dictator General Pervez Musharraf, but he remained stranded at the Jinnah International Airport due the riots and had to leave for Islamabad without addressing the lawyers. The petitioner had named the former interior secretary, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain, former Sindh home adviser Waseem Akhtar, former home secretary retired Brig Ghulam Mohammad Mohtram, the former Rangers director-general, and others as respondents. He submitted that former home secretary and IG Sindh had violated the court orders with regard to providing security to the CJP during his visit to Karachi, High Court and City Courts buildings. He contended that the government had failed to protect life, liberty, freedom of movement and added that MQM chief Altaf Hussain, Waseem Akhtar and other respondents were responsible for the killing of over 50 people during riots on May 12.