By IANS
Karachi : The Sindh High Court has taken notice of the May 12 Karachi violence that left 41 dead, converting a report from its registrar into a petition, and issued notices to senior police and Sindh government officials for Monday.
In a clear snub to the provincial government that has refused to order an inquiry into the violence, the court issued notices to the attorney general, advocate general, chief secretary, home secretary, Sindh inspector general of police, city police chief, chief of the paramilitary Rangers and the Saddar Town police officer.
The court's chief justice constituted a seven-member bench to hear the petition, Daily times said Sunday.
Violence erupted May 12 as suspended Pakistan Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry arrived from Islamabad to address his Sindh Bar Association colleagues. He was confined to the airport and flown back to Islamabad.
The country has been in the grip of an agitation since March 9, when Chaudhry was suspended by President Pervez Musharraf who accused him of misusing the highest judicial office to promote his son.
The high court took suo motu notice of its registrar's report describing the situation in the court premises that day, when the entire building was surrounded by mobs and lawyers intending to hear Chaudhry but they were not allowed to enter the building.
Musharraf has blamed Chaudhry for insisting on visiting Karachi that day, despite warnings from the Sindh administration.
Pro-Musharraf Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) cadres clashed with those of opposition parties. Both have blamed each other for the violence and Musharraf has called it a conspiracy and "politicising a judicial matter".