SC imposes fine on KP chief secretary for non-compliance

Tariq Ullah Wardag

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday imposed Rs 50,000 fine on Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) for non-compliance of court orders in connection with renewal of licenses of mining and stone crushing in the province.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the case regarding alleged illegal mining and stone crushing at Margalla Hills.

The Chief Justice rema-rked that Chief Secretary KPK failed from renewal of said licenses within 15 days.

He remarked that its not good to hear news regarding illegal stone crushing and mining in the province, adding if court orders would not be implemented then Chief Secretary would be responsible for that.

Mining was a profitable business but should be within the limits of rules and regulations, due to crushing  environmental pollution also spreading which harmful for human health, government should also take steps to control this pollution, he added.

Subsequently, the bench while granting three more weeks to settle all applications regarding stone crushing and mining licenses in the area adjourned further hearing till then.

Extrajudicial killing of Arslan: Supreme Court directed lower court to complete trial in alleged extrajudicial killing of a boy Arslan by Punjab police in Sheik-hupora, within six months.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar passed the directions in a suo moto notice of the murder of Arslan allegedly tortured to death by Punjab police in the village of Jabhran. The apex court passed the directions when District Police Officer (DPO) Sheikhupora informed that investigation had been completed in the case and sent to the trial court.

Chief Justice directed low-er court to complete the trial within six months and submit report in this regard.

Subsequently the bench adjourned further hearing of the  case for indefinite period of time.

A young student Arslan Masih, 15,  was allegedly tortured to death by Punjab police in its custody in the village of Jabhran, near the city of Sheikhupura. on October 9, 2017.