ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar Wednesday remarked that those responsible for the deplorable state of Balochistan would not be spared.
As the Supreme Court began hearing the suo motu case related to the shortage of water in the province, former chief ministers Abdul Malik Baloch and Sanaullah Zehri appeared in court.
When the court highlighted the poor state of schools in the province, Baloch said Rs 62 billion were required to build new schools whereas the province’s total budget stood at Rs 42 billion.
“Everyone says they do not have funds,” the chief justice lamented. He added that 6,054 schools in the province lack boundary walls and toilets.
Talking about the province’s health sector, CJP Nisar remarked that he had witnessed very poor conditions at Balochistan’s government hospitals during a visit to Quetta.
What did you do in your five-year term for water, education and health, the chief justice asked Baloch, who remained the chief minister for the first half of the government’s term as per a deal.
Baloch said that after assuming power in 2013, the government resolved to improve the law and order situation which was at its worst at the time.
Chief Justice Nisar inquired whether the people of Balochistan were politically empowered to run their own affairs.
Baloch added that the province has never had impartial elections.
Taking the stand, Zehri said the security situation improved in their tenure.
The chief justice observed that the people would be forced to migrate if things remain the same, asking what the court could do to improve the situation.
Baloch said those who did not work for the province should be punished.
The court then summoned the inspector generals of the Frontier Corps’ south and north divisions at the next hearing in Quetta.
The chief ministers, talking to the media after the hearing, said they will appear before the chief justice in Quetta tomorrow as well.
poor state of Peshawar prison
The top judge summoned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to Central Jail Peshawar on Wednesday after taking note of the prison’s deplorable state during his visit.
Khattak showed up over the chief justice’s orders, but while talking to media there, said he had come to meet Chief Justice Nisar and was not there for a hearing.
Before summoning the chief minister, the chief justice visited various sections of the prison.
During the visit, KP Health Secretary Abid Majeed told Chief Justice Nisar that the psychiatric hospital in the prison had been under construction since 2012.
He added that work on the hospital had not been completed as the government was not releasing funds for the purpose.
The chief justice also visited the psychiatric hospital in Peshawar, expressing anger at the state of the facility.
Moreover, during the visit, the Jails IG informed the chief justice that they would start shifting the prisoners to the new jail from next month.
He made the statement after Chief Justice Nisar addressed dismay at the overcrowding in the prison.
Before Peshawar, the chief justice had also visited the psychiatric hospital in Lahore after he received complaints of mismanagement at the facility.
The hospital visit was planned over the case of a woman reportedly with mental disabilities, who was on a death row.
On his previous visit to Peshawar, the chief justice had ordered action against bogus clinics and quacks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Published in Daily Times, May 10th 2018.
