KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) Friday adjourned hearing of a petition against the construction of Signal Free Corridor-IV flyovers, as the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) sought time to submit the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report.

Non-governmental organisation Shehri had challenged the construction of the CDGK’s Rs 1 billion signal-free corridor flyovers along Shahrah-e-Faisal, alleging that the project violates provisions of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 and EIA Regulations 2000 and Initial Environmental Examination.

Advocate Abdur Rehman submitted that the CDGK was continuing construction work at some locations of the corridor without following the relevant laws. He contended that the EIA, as declared mandatory in environmental laws, was not carried out prior to starting the construction work and that could cause serious environmental and health hazards to the lives of citizens.

On Friday, the SHC nazir, who was earlier tasked to carry out inspection of the flyovers, filed a report, which said the construction was being carried out in accordance with the approved plan. The flyover ramp was measured to be 19 feet while the requirement was of 18 feet, and therefore the construction was in accordance with the regulations.

Advocate Abdur Rehman for the petitioner contended that the CDGK started the construction work without obtaining the EIA report of the flyovers from the competent authority. Advocate Murtaza Wahab for the CDGK submitted that they had already applied for the EIA and waiting for permission.

The SHC division bench comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Tufail H Ebrahim said the matter should come up along with another identical petition, wherein the same issue was pending for consideration before another division bench of SHC.

BNP leader’s disappearance: The SHC directed the federal interior secretary to file personal affidavit to the effect that a missing Baloch leader, Abdul Ghaffar Langho, was not in the custody of law enforcement and intelligence agencies till May 31, 2010.

A division bench comprising Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Syed Zakir Hussain further directed him to appear personally, if he failed to submit a personal affidavit before or on the next date.

Petitioner Niaz Muhammed Langho had moved the court seeking the whereabouts of his brother Abdul Ghaffar Langho, leader of the Balochistan National Party. He impleaded the interior secretary, ISI DG, MI, Sindh home secretary, Sindh IG and Garden police station SHO as respondents.

He submitted that intelligence agencies personnel picked up Ghaffar near the Institute of Surgery and Medical, Karachi. His family approached the Garden police to lodge a complaint, but they refused.

Sacked KESC employees: A division bench of the SHC comprising Justice Mashir Alam on Friday restrained the sacked employees of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) from observing a strike and directed them to appear before the court on May 24 to present their stance.

The court directed chief secretary, home secretary and the Karachi CCPO to ensure that the orders are implemented upon.

An application was filed by the KESC taking the plea that its decision regarding the termination of employees’ services was correct. The matter was sub-judice, but the sacked employees were staging protest on roads and creating problems, the application said. ppi/online