SHC tags PTI MPAs’ petitions seeking payment of arrears with identical pleas

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday directed its office to fix petitions filed by MPAs of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf pertaining to payment of arrears to legislators of the last Sindh Assembly with identical petitions.

PTI MPAs Khurrum Sher Zaman and Dr Seema had submitted in their petitions that the Sindh Laws Amendment Act had been passed in 2017 and the provincial assembly secretary submitted a summary to the Sindh chief minister on September 7, 2017, in which he sought additional funds amounting to Rs666.22 million to meeting the shortfall in funds for the salaries of the MPAs during the financial year 2017-18.

The MPAs submitted that the finance secretary had submitted a note to the CM on October 6, 2017 to approve Rs664.48 million instead of Rs.664.22 million to meet the shortfall in funds for the salaries of the lawmakers but the relevant provision of the law was not implemented yet.

They submitted that the basic pay and allowances of the MPAs had been increased under the Act from Rs72,000 per month to Rs145,000 while the salaries of the CM, the speaker and the ministers had also been doubled.

The PTI lawmakers stated that the actual revenue receipt exceeded the actual expenditure by Rs37,415 million as recorded by the finance department and the Accountant General Sindh but the former MPAs had not received arrears yet.

The SHC was requested to direct the CM to pass an appropriate order on the summary of September 7, 2017 and direct the government to pay the basic pay and allowances of the MPAs who were elected during the 2013-2018 tenure.

The court, after the preliminary hearing of the petitions, directed the office to tag the PTI MPAs’ petitions with identical petitions that were already fixed for hearing on August 28.

Plea for protection

The SHC directed the police to provide security to a woman and her daughter who were facing threats after converting to Islam.

The petitioner, Ayesha, submitted that she had converted to Islam and married a man, Sartaj, of her own free will but her former spouse and family members had been threatening her and her daughter due to which they had fears for their lives. She sought protection against harassment from her family members.

The SHC issued notices to a provincial law officer, the Gulbahar police and others and directed the police to provide security to the petitioner and her daughter.