KARACHI: A two-member bench of the Sindh High Court, led by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, dismissed a petition challenging the recognition of the Sunni Ittehad Council as a parliamentary party. The petitioner’s lawyer argued that a parliamentary party, as defined by Article 63A of the Constitution, is one that has secured a position in either the national or provincial assembly. Since the Sunni Ittehad Council did not win any seats in these assemblies, it should not be considered a parliamentary party under the law.
The lawyer further contended that independent candidates backed by PTI who joined the Sunni Ittehad Council after their victory should not be permissible under the law, as independent candidates cannot join a party that did not win a seat in the election. However, Chief Justice Abbasi noted that the speaker of the assembly has the authority to determine which parties are recognized as parliamentary parties, not the court. Consequently, the court dismissed the petition and instructed Maulvi Iqbal Haider to consult the speaker.
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In a separate case, a two-member bench of the Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and Justice Zulfiqar Ali Sanghi, heard a petition regarding the killing of civilians in Sakrand Mari Jalbani. The petition called for the arrest of the accused and a judicial investigation into the incident.
Prosecutor General Sindh Faiz Shah, along with DIG Nawabshah, informed the court that two accused have been identified and further progress is expected. Justice Zulfiqar Ali Sanghi emphasized the need for timely arrests and inquired about the ongoing efforts to trace the accused. The prosecutor general mentioned that additional persons would be identified based on a geo-fencing report and requested permission to present the challan in a subordinate court for the case to proceed. However, the court maintained its directive to not submit the challan until the judicial inquiry is completed.
The incident in question involved the killing of four people by law enforcement agencies during an operation to apprehend robbers in Sakrand. Following the incident, a petition was filed by lawyers seeking a transparent investigation into the tragedy. The court has extended the ongoing injunction regarding the non-submission of the case challan.
