Judicial magistrate Shahab Nizamani delivered a verdict on Saturday, sentencing Syed Bakar Raza Naqvi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pak Oslo Company, to one month in prison due to his failure to provide necessary details of Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants before the court. The CEO’s conviction stems from his inability to comply with the court’s directive to furnish information regarding the costly RO plants installed in the desert district to ensure clean drinking water. As a result, the judge handed down the prison sentence.
The case originated from complaints submitted by residents Shah Mohammad Maher and Mohammad Arif Khoso of the Parkar region to the judicial magistrate of Nagarparkar. The complainants alleged that the company officials were neglecting to pay salaries to the workers and operators of the RO plants. Moreover, they accused the firm of not taking any steps to rectify the faulty RO plants to provide safe drinking water. In their claims, the residents further alleged that the officials were misappropriating funds intended for clean drinking water initiatives, despite having received substantial funding from the Public Health Engineering Department.
Attempts were made to engage the company’s high-ranking officials, including CEO Naqvi, by issuing several notices from the magistrate’s office. However, these officials failed to appear before the court in response. Consequently, the magistrate transferred the case to the district and sessions court in Mithi, where the proceedings continued under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Following the legal proceedings, CEO Naqvi was taken into police custody as a result of his conviction.
It is important to note that the company, Pak Oslo, was granted the contract to manage and operate approximately 720 RO plants tasked with providing safe drinking water. This responsibility was transferred to Pak Oslo after the contract with another private company, Pak Oasis, expired around four years ago. Despite receiving an annual allocation of Rs 500, the officials overseeing the RO plants neglected their operational responsibilities. Consequently, all RO plants ceased functioning, leaving the population of 1.8 million Tharis with no choice but to consume contaminated water from wells and shallow ponds.
This judicial ruling reflects the authorities’ commitment to holding those responsible for the provision of clean drinking water accountable for their actions and inactions, ensuring the well-being of the affected communities.
