KARACHI: A three-member bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Ch Ijaz Ahmed and Justice Ghulam Rabbani on Thursday ordered removal of the illegal oil tanker stand from the residential area of Shireen Jinnah Colony.

The SC bench passed the order on a human rights complaint filed by Shagufta, a resident of Shireen Jinnah Colony, seeking removal of oil tankers’ parking from the locality.

Additional Advocate General Sindh Sarwar Khan along with the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) managing director submitted that the KPT was ready to provide three acres of alternate parking space for these tankers in Clifton, Karachi.

Oil Tankers Association President Syed Attaullah submitted that oil tankers were engaged in sensitive work including the supply of goods to NATO forces in Afghanistan, while the land offered by KPT was already encroached by some people.

The CJ observed, “Illegal parking cannot be allowed anywhere, no matter if these oil tankers are engaged in the supply of goods to the NATO forces or any other.”

The SC bench ordered the AAG, KPT MD and Police DIG to hand over the possession of the space to oil tankers owners on Thursday and submit the compliance report on Friday (today).

Removal of toxic waste from SITE in one week ordered: The same bench also ordered the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency director general to remove toxic waste improperly dumped by industrial units in the SITE area within a week.

The bench also ordered Karachi police to locate the families of 18 children injured y toxic waste to ascertain whether they were paid compensated or not.

The human rights application was filed by Gul Zaib, a resident of Abidabad, against dumping of toxic industrial waste in SITE and other areas of the city. He submitted that an eight-year-old boy had died and 20 others injured due to dumping of toxic waste in SITE in March 2006, while 14 children sustained injuries on November 6, 2006 around Rahimshah graveyard, Orangi Town due to due to the industrial waste dumped by a paint manufacturing factory.

Marine pollution case: The same bench directed Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan to submit a report on the progress made by government departments and agencies to control the growing marine pollution. The court was hearing three human rights complaints filed between 1992-94 against the growing marine pollution in coastal areas due to the discharging of poisonous and hazardous industrial waste and pesticides into the sea.

SC orders arrest of DSP, SHO in ‘abducted’ JSQM leaders’ case: The bench ordered the Hyderabad regional police officer to arrest and produce a DSP and an SHO on March 12, in case pertaining to the disappearance of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz Vice Chairman Akash Mallah and his associate.

The bench was hearing petition seeking the whereabouts of the JSQM leader. His brother,

Anwar Mallah, submitted Akash Mallah and aide Noor Muhammad Khaskheli disappeared when they left for offering Friday prayer in Gulistan-e-Sajjah, Hyderabad on October 31, 2009.

He alleged that plainclothes law enforcement agencies personnel detained his brother and friend for many months. The Hyderabad RPO and DPO denied that the two men had been arrested. The SC bench ordered the Hyderabad RPO to arrest then DSP Sikandar Bhatti and SHO of Bhittai Nagar police station Ghulam Muhammad Memon and produce them on before the court. ppi