Sindh govt responsible for Thar situation: SC

ISLAMABAD

Declaring the Sindh government responsible for the Thar situation, the Supreme Court on Monday said that if media had not highlighted the issue it would have been swept under the carpet.
Two-member bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, heard the case. A total of 67 death cases of children have been reported [in Tharparkar in the last three months], read a report submitted by the Sindh chief secretary in the SC during the hearing of Tharparkar suo motu notice case.
The report also read that 26 deaths were reported in December, 18 in January and 23 in February.
“Most of these deaths have been due to pneumonia, sepsis, birth asphyxia and very few from malnutrition. Sepsis is mainly due to use of unhygienic methods of delivery used by midwives and untrained local ‘daiees’,” the report read further.
According to the report, around 0.12 million wheat bags worth Rs 429 million were being distributed among the affected people. “Around 80,000 bags have already been dispatched and received in the district.”
During the proceedings, the Sindh advocate general (AG) told the court that the children in Tharparkar died of cold. Parents do not get their children treated until their condition gets critical, he added.
On this, the CJP remarked that the Sindh government was responsible for whatever happened in the Tharparkar district. He also said the media highlighted the issue otherwise the matter would have been buried. AG Fateh Malik argued that situation was that bad as portrayed by the media.
The court inquired that how many children died in the region and when did it came to provincial authorities’ knowledge.
The AG said that 60 children have died during last three months.
Justice Azmat Saeed said that people in the district do not need the prime minister or the chief minister but they need food.
“We should bow our heads in shame over what is happening there,” the CJP said.
The court sought a detailed report from the Sindh government about the death toll due to drought and adjourned the hearing until March 17.