Justice Phulpoto had given an adverse order

BAIL PLEA: CONSECUTIVELY UNHEARED EIGHT TIME

By Nasir Mahmood

KARACHI: A division bench of Sindh High Court adjourned the hearing of former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain’s bail plea yesterday. The bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto referred back the case to the Chief Justice for constitution of a new bench. Earlier at the outset of yesterday’s hearing Barrister Abdul Latif Khosa appearing on behalf of Dr. Asim Hussain pointed out to Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, who was heading the bench, he was the Administrative Judge in December 2015 when Dr. Asim was arrested and produced before him. He had rejected the report of IO Altaf Hussain u/s 497/II Cr PC and had taken cognizance of the case. The bench on this referred the matter back to the Chief Justice for the constitution of a new bench. The other member of the division bench was Justice Karim Khan Agha. This is the 8th instance during past few months when lawyers of Dr. Asim Hussain had returned unheard in the bail plea in Sindh High Court. Earlier, the hearing in bail pleas of political leaders, Dr Asim Hussain, Rauf Siddiqui, Anees Qaimkhani and Qadir Patel was adjourned on 10th October when the division bench comprising Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Sadiq Hussain Bhatti put off the case for 17th October without hearing. This was the sixth bench formed as earlier five benches had refused to hear the case. Moreover, the hearing in bail plea of former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain in JJVL case was again adjourned on Thursday 13th October when one of the judges of the division bench Justice Sadiq Hussain Bhatti was on leave due to which the bench headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi could not hear any cases. This was the 7th instance when lawyers of Dr. Asim Hussain returned unheard in the bail plea in Sindh High Court