The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday formed a larger bench that will hear a suo motu case pertaining to the coronavirus pandemic in the country on 20th.
The apex court issued notices to the chief secretaries of all provinces in addition to summoning the federal interior secretary, chief commissioner Islamabad and the Gilgit Baltistan chief secretary.
It must be noted that SC had earlier expressed displeasure over steps taken by authorities to combat the COVID-19 in the country.
On Monday, the top court had expressed dismay over the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s performance to control the spread of coronavirus in the country, besides ordering the removal of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza from his post.
“I cannot understand what kind of a team is working on the coronavirus outbreak,” CJP Gulzar Ahmed had remarked while hearing the suo motu notice on the coronavirus crisis.
He had said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet had become ineffective in the fight against the pandemic and expressed serious doubt over the eligibility of PM’s adviser on health.
“I cannot understand what kind of a team is working on the coronavirus outbreak,” Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed remarked while hearing the suo motu notice on the coronavirus crisis.
He had said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet has become ineffective in the fight against the pandemic and expressed serious doubt over the eligibility of PM’s adviser on health.
The CJP had asked Attorney General for Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan that why Dr Mirza was not removed. However, AGP had told the larger bench that it will not be wise to remove Dr Mirza at this stage.
“Do not change him mid-flight,” he had said, urging the court to leave the matter up to the federal government.
CJP Gulzar had said that there was an entire army of advisers and ministers but work was still not being done.
“Corrupt people have been made advisers and subsequently given the same status as federal ministers. There are serious allegations against many top government officials,” the CJP had observed. “Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet has become ineffective,” CJP Gulzar had remarked.
On Friday, the top court had sent notices to the AGP, Health Secretary Dr Tanveer Ahmad Qureshi and Interior Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, questioning what it saw as inadequate health facilities to battle the epidemic. In its response the following day, the government had informed the apex court of the measures it had taken to combat the virus.
