KARACHI:

The Constitutional Bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered the provincial government to withdraw the Maintenance of Public Order notification, terming it unconstitutional and in violation of established legal principles.

The bench gave the order while hearing petitions filed against the “preventive detention” of PTI workers on Tuesday. The counsel for the petitioners, Barrister Ali Tahir, informed the court that the illegal detentions were affecting more than 187 families. He argued that his clients were being held under false claims of disturbing public order, and that police were conducting illegal raids on their homes.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh condemned the actions of the provincial government. “More than 400 PTI workers are in jails across Sindh, and more than 100 people are illegally held in police stations. The use of MPO detentions is a blatant violation of the Constitution,” he said. “This rotten system has been exposed.”

The judicial commission formed to investigate the Gul Plaza tragedy has formally begun its work under the leadership of Justice Agha Faisal of Sindh High Court.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday disposed of constitutional petitions related to the Gul Plaza fire tragedy, after the judicial inquiry commission was constituted to conduct a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the incident.