The Sindh High Court has suspended the Sindh Assembly membership of Faryal Talpur in a case related to dog-bite incidents. Another MPA from Jamshoro district, Malik Asad Sikandar, has also been suspended according to the order of the SHC Sukkur bench, comprising Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar and Justice Fahim Ahmed Siddiqui, issued on Thursday. The hearing was held on March 16.
The verdict reads,
“… the membership of MPAs elected from Ratodero [Larkana district] and Jamshoro is hereby cancelled. The remaining members of the provincial assembly are once again directed to supervise the drive against the ongoing dog-bite cases, and ensure that in future no dog-bite case happens.”
The bench warned that the recurrence of those cases will entail punishment for the MPAs in the form of their suspension from the assembly. The court also served an explanation notice to the Sindh Assembly secretary for non-compliance of the court’s order. “… no report in this regard has been received from the secretary provincial assembly meaning the secretary has no respect and regard with the orders of the court.”
The secretary has been directed to hand over copies of the current court order to all the MPAs. The SHC also directed the Provincial Election Commission (PEC) to notify the suspension of Talpur, who is the sister of Pakistan People’s Party co-chairperson and former president, Asif Ali Zardari, and Sikandar. In its previous order last month, the SHC had directed the MPAs to supervise the dog culling campaign, warning that their membership from the assembly would be suspended if the cases recur.
“… dog bite cases are not being properly controlled which is alarming.” Referring to cases in Ratodero and Jamshoro, the bench said the MPAs of these constituencies cannot be absolved from their obligation towards their electorate.
The court was dissatisfied with the reports filed by the senior superintendents of police of all Sindh’s districts and the municipal officials of all the municipal authorities.
At the last hearing the SHC directed the Sindh local government secretary to put under suspension a municipal official found negligent in the dog culling campaign and not to give them any posting without the court’s permission. But the secretary could not submit any compliance report during the hearing.
