–CJP says not concerned about govt’s spending on Covid-19 measures but about ‘quality of service’ at quarantine centres
–Court clarifies that order to keep markets open on Saturday and Sunday is only applicable until Eidul Fitr
ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court (SC) that the masses were not taking the Covid-19 threat seriously after the apex court’s remarks the other day, making it difficult for the administration to take measures to curb the viral outbreak.
Sindh Advocate General Salman Talibuddin endorsed the federal government’s opinion expressed by Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan, saying the lockdown is no more effective as shops have been allowed to open.
The remarks came during the hearing of a suo motu case, pertaining to measures taken to cope with the health crisis, which is being heard by a five-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed.
Responding to AGP Khan and the Sindh AG, CJP Gulzar Ahmed said that this was not owing to the apex court’s remarks but because police inspectors were permitting businesses to reopen after receiving bribes.
He further clarified that the apex court did not make any remarks against the Sindh government. “Even the provincial government is allowing government offices to reopen,” he added.
In its order yesterday, the court had directed the Sindh government to obtain permission from the National Health Services and Research Centre to open shopping malls across the province. It had noted that Punjab and Islamabad had done the same.
“If such can be done by the biggest province of Pakistan, i.e. Punjab, why the similar cannot be done by Sindh and apparently, we find no valid reason or justification for the same,” the order had read.
In Tuesday’s hearing, the top judge noted: “Sindh government has opened all government offices. You have opened the sub-registrar’s office.” He added that the sub-registrar’s office was a “corrupt institute”.
“Government offices have been opened, not those of public service.”
The chief justice said that the SC was not concerned about the government’s expenses to overcome this pandemic but rather the quality of the services being provided to Covid-19 patients. He referred to examples of SC employees who were initially tested positive in government labs but their tests from private labs came out negative.
The chief justice further clarified that the order to keep markets open on Saturday and Sunday was only applicable until Eidul Fitr. When asked to “clarify” that the restrictions had only been relaxed until Eid, the chief justice said that it will be done in the next hearing.
A day earlier the bench, in a written order issued after the hearing, had said that it was “not at all satisfied” by the report presented by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), saying that it could “find no reason why so much money is being spent on this coronavirus”.
“There are other serious ailments prevailing in the country, from which people are dying daily and those ailments are not being catered and the coronavirus (Covid-19), which apparently is not a pandemic in Pakistan, is swallowing huge money,” the written order had said.
During Tuesday’s hearing, NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal appeared before the court in order to give an explanation of the money being spent to deal with the pandemic.
Justice Ahmed raised questions over the condition of quarantine centres saying that “10 people are sitting side by side”. “What kind of quarantining is this?” he inquired, saying that centres did not have clean bathrooms and there was also no water.
The chief justice said that “videos of quarantine centres’ poor conditions are being circulated on social media” with residents telling expatriates who wished to return “to die abroad but don’t come to Pakistan”.
He noted that Pakistan was a poor country, saying: “We are playing with money and don’t care for the people.”
The attorney general of Pakistan told the court that Pakistan now had the capability to make ventilators. The chief justice said that the country should be self-sufficient in everything, warning that “there will be a time when nothing, including medicines, will be available from abroad”. He further said that all surgical instruments could be made in Pakistan.
‘WHAT IS DESTO PAKISTAN ARMY?’
The bench summoned NDMA chief Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal on the rostrum and discussed the report submitted by the body. The chief justice noted that the report mentioned a company that manufactured personal protective equipment.
“What is Desto Pakistan Army? Is this a private company?” Justice Ahmed asked, adding: “The machinery for this company has been brought through a special plane.”
The NDMA chief explained that Desto (Defence Science & Technology Organisation) was a subsidiary company of Strategic Plans Division Force (SPD).
The chief justice inquired if the machinery for Desto was being ordered from a single Chinese company and said that Pakistan only received “third class” material from China.
“Graduates are not being utilised in our country,” Justice Ahmed lamented. “Pakistan has a lot of talent, it should be used.”
The hearing was subsequently adjourned until June 8.
