KARACHI: Sukkur DIG Fida Hussain Mastoi informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday that the police had collected the samples of 124 suspects for DNA testing in the investigation of the rape and murder of the seven-year-old girl in Pir Jo Goth.
The DIG and Khairpur SSP Amir Saud Magsi also submitted a report on the case’s probe to a two-member bench of the high court, headed by SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh. The report included details on the arrests made in the case so far.
Besides, the DIG told the court that law enforcers would proceed with the investigation after the results of 124 samples collected for DNA tests are received.
At this, the court directed the DIG to submit a weekly report on the investigation of the rape and murder of the minor girl.
Justice Shaikh had taken notice of the case on January 13, following which the case’s proceedings are underway in the high court.
Disputed islands
Meanwhile, a bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and comprising Justice Amjad Ali Sahito sought reports and replies from the attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) and other parties in a plea contesting the federation’s claim on Dingi and Bundal islands.
At the hearing, the assistant attorney general maintained that the Pakistan Islands Development Authority (PIDA) Ordinance 2020 had lapsed.
“The ordinance was promulgated on September 22, 2020 and expired on January 3, 2021,” he said, adding that no other ordinance enabling the Centre to take control of the islands had been passed yet.
At this, Justice Mazhar remarked that the federal government must inform the court about its position on the islands after the lapsing of the ordinance.
Moreover, the petitioner claimed before the court that the federal government had signed a contract for importing a desalination plant from Netherlands to install on Bundal island.
The court directed the AGP and other parties to submit replies and reports on the petitioner’s claim of the federal government procuring a desalination plant on January 21.
Petitioner absent
Moreover, the SHC adjourned the hearing of a plea seeking the cleaning of garbage from the surrounding of Jinnah International Airport and pertaining bird strikes causing planes to crash while landing without any proceedings due to the petitioner’s absence.
The petitioner has stated in the plea that garbage from residential areas near the airport piles up in its surroundings. It is a threat to aeroplanes as birds hovering over them often hit aircraft, he has pointed out, adding that cleaning the garbage from the airport’s surroundings is important for ensuring aircraft’s safety.
Replies have been sought from the Civil Aviation Authority, Sindh chief secretary and Pakistan International Airlines chairperson on the plea.
The court has sought replies from Civil Aviation Authority, Sindh chief secretary and Pakistan International Airlines chairperson over the plea.
Newspaper: The Express Tribune
