Ex-CMs to tell SC what they did for Balochistan during tenures

–CJP summons Dr Baloch and Sardar Zehri to explain what they did to improve governance in Balochistan

–OPDs at govt hospitals reopened after Justice Nisar meets young doctors and paramedics

–CJP vows not to let medical colleges charge exorbitant fees

QUETTA:  Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday directed two former chief ministers of Balochistan — Dr Abdul Malik Baloch and Nawab Sanaullah Zehri — to appear before the Supreme Court and explain what they did for the improvement of governance in the province during their respective tenures.

A three-judge bench, headed by the CJP and comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Mansoor Ali, was hearing cases at the SC’s Quetta Registry regarding the plight of public hospitals and medical colleges, and the young doctors’ strike in the province.

“Three chief ministers came during one tenure but what did they do to improve governance?” the CJP asked, ordering the former provincial chief executives to appear in court and inform the judges about the efforts they made in the last four years to provide relief to the people.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo was also present in the courtroom along with senior officials of the provincial bureaucracy.

Balochistan Health Secretary Saleh Nasar informed the court that a policy was being planned within the next 10 days to improve the condition of government hospitals.

“Let us know what help you require from the federation,” the CJP told him. The top judge also expressed surprise upon learning that the Out Patient Departments (OPDs) in public hospitals of the province had been closed down by the young doctors.

The CJP reiterated his commitment that medical colleges will not be allowed to charge exorbitant fees. “We want the money to be returned to 20 million students,” he said, adding that all the amount above Rs856,000 in annual fees should be returned by the medical colleges.

“Unfortunately, our medical colleges are substandard,” he remarked.

Justice Nisar asserted that he would want provision of water and healthcare to become the primary focus of the government. “According to Articles 184 and 199 of the Constitution, we have the right to intervene wherever basic human rights are violated.”

The chief justice later visited Quetta Civil Hospital where he interacted with the patients and visited the strike camp of paramedics and young doctors. He ordered the authorities to listen to the protesting medics’ demands and present a report to him following which the medics called off their strike. Balochistan CM Bizenjo accompanied the top judge during the visit.

The CJP asked the health secretary regarding the number of ventilators and Electronic Control Units (ECU) in government hospitals and asked, “who will tend to the patients if the doctors are on strike?”

Health Secretary Saleh Nasar told the CJP that no one is treating patients while the young doctors are on strike.

“There is no private hospital in Balochistan, only one medical college,” the official said, adding that the government is set to inaugurate three medical colleges soon.

The OPDs of government hospitals across Balochistan were closed on Monday for a fourth day as young doctors continued their strike.

The young doctors had called a strike in March to demand hiring on vacant seats, payment of allowances and provision of new machines at medical facilities.

They paused their protest when the government promised to fulfil their demand upon the return of Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudus Bizenjo.

However, when neither their demands were fulfilled nor a notification issued despite the chief minister’s return, the doctors resumed their strike from Friday.

The chief justice in the past has expressed his displeasure at the state of hospitals in Sindh and Punjab.

Earlier during the court proceedings, Balochistan Education Secretary Noorul Haq Baloch told the SC that over one million children in the province remain out of schools.

“Around 2.6m children should have been currently enrolled in schools,” he said, to which the CJP asked why the government had failed to enroll out of school children?”

The bench is expected to continue hearing cases at the Quetta Registry until Wednesday.

CJP ASSURES HAZARA SHIAS OF JUSTICE:

A delegation of the minority Hazara Shia community called on the chief justice and apprised him of their issues, according to a notification issued by the Supreme Court.

Justice Nisar assured the delegation of resolving the community’s issues in accordance with the law.