The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought record of the government officials and state functionaries sent abroad from 1997 onwards for lavish medical treatment on government’s expenditure and details of funds released, by Punjab government, in this regard.
Justice Sh Azmat Saeed directed Punjab chief secretary and health secretary to submit the report until July 11. The judge directed the respondents including Punjab government to explain as to under what laws such extravagant spending had been made. The judge made these remarks on a petition filed by Prof Dr Sajjad Hussain, a government official, who challenged lavish funds released by government from Grant-in-Aid for a select number of government officials for their medical treatment abroad.
He maintained that the Punjab Health Department on March 27, 1997, through a notification, imposed a ban on government-sponsored medical treatment abroad for civil servants or their families against diseases that might be cured locally in the public sector hospitals. The petitioner said his daughter Dr Sara Hussain had been suffering from liver disorder and urgently needed liver transplant abroad. He said he applied for the grants for her treatment but the chief minister approved only Rs 2 million against Rs 5 million as suggested by the health department’s medical board.
He contended that the same disease could have been cured at Sindh Institute of Urology/Transplant. The plaintiff also cited other such examples. The court directed the respondents to place on record the list beneficiaries.
Court says it will guard students’ rights: In another case, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed Wednesday observed that the court would protect constitutional right of students to ensure there future was safe. Hearing a petition filed M/s Muhammad and Ahmad against mandatory condition to submit B-Form for the admission into matric and intermediate classes and examinations.
