–Chief Justice Nisar says won’t keep silent on seeing people’s plight
–Directs 56 public companies’ heads to draw salaries as per their pay scales
–NAB says Punjab govt not handing over records of 17 public companies for investigation
–CJP visits mental health institute, inspects facilities for patients
LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar has said that he would not sit silent after seeing the problems of the people living in Pakistan, as he passed orders in various cases of public interest at the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry on Saturday.
Addressing a ceremony in Lahore, he said, “We are doing the work which the government should do.” He also thanked the lawyers for hanging his picture in the bar association for the first time.
Earlier in the day while hearing different cases, the Supreme Court directed the heads of 56 public companies – being investigated for corruption – to draw salaries as per their pay scale.
The directives were given as a two-member bench headed by the CJP resumed hearing a suo motu of alleged corruption in 56 public sector companies of the province.
The CJP remarked that the heads of the companies must draw salaries as per their respective civil servant roles while adding that the heads should also return the amount which was more than their original pay scale.
“The companies were made to award relatives,” said the CJP and added that billions of rupees were spent but there was not even a single drop of water available for people. “We won’t allow any person to use the tax money,” said CJ Nisar.
Appearing before the court on Saturday, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Director General (DG) Saleem Shahzad told that the Punjab government did not cooperate with the bureau over records of companies, adding that 17 companies out of the total 56 were yet to submit their records.
Responding to this, the CJP remarked, “Worry not, all the records will be provided to NAB. Let’s see how these companies don’t submit their records to the accountability bureau.”
The court then ordered the 17 companies to submit their records to the anti-graft watchdog within three days. CJ Nisar also sought a report pertaining to the developments in case within one week.
SC BARS PUNJAB CM’S EX-PRINCIPAL SECRETARY FROM TRAVELLING ABROAD:
Meanwhile, the apex court barred Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s former principal secretary Dr Tauqir Shah, who was appointed Pakistan’s Ambassador to World Trade Organisation (WTO), from travelling abroad.
Hearing a suo motu case of the WTO’s appointment of Tauqir Shah as ambassador, the chief justice remarked that the secretary could not travel abroad without the court’s permission.
Refusing to read a performance report of the ambassador, the CJP questioned how Tauqir was appointed to WTO while his name was mentioned in the Model Town case.
It may be noted that Tauqir Shah was reportedly removed from the post of Punjab chief minister’s principal secretary after the Model Town incident. Soon after, the federal government had approved his appointed as the WTO ambassador.
The decision was opposed by Federal Secretary for Trade Arbab Shahzad, but the summary for appointment was forwarded regardless of the reservations.
The health facilities at the hospital were inspected by the CJP, who also discussed relevant issues with the patients. In addition, the CJP remarked that no one could refer to the hospital as a mental asylum.
After a briefing session with the emergency in-charge, Nisar assured the patients that utmost care would be taken of their problems.
“I will visit every ward of every department in the hospital,” he informed the hospital’s medical superintendent.
CJP Nisar also visited the kitchen to inspect hygiene and the availability of proper meals.
NISAR ORDERS ARREST OF QUACK DOCTOR, ACCOMPLICE WHO OPERATED ON WOMAN:
Meanwhile, the chief justice directed the authorities to arrest a quack doctor and his accomplice, who had operated a woman while wearing a vest, at a hospital in Jhang.
While hearing a suo motu notice, a two-member bench headed by the CJP himself ordered the arrest at the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry.
Earlier, the suo moto notice had been taken by the CJP after a video of the incident had gone viral. The footage showed a man wearing a vest while carrying out a surgery on a patient. The video had also shown that the man was being assisted by another who was neither wearing scrubs nor a mask.
On Saturday, Jhang Police superintendent presented the suspects in front of the court. He apprised the bench that the accused worked at Dr Rafiq Ahmed’s clinic that was registered with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Association (PMDA).
“The suspects have claimed that Dr Rafiq conducted the operation and they were only giving first-aid,” police officials told the bench.
To this, the CJP remarked that “they were lying”. He then ordered their arrest and directed the police to register a case against them.
