CJP orders completion of Mother and Child Hospital without further delay

• Justice Nisar gives authorities 18 months to finish the project
• AML chief Sheikh Rasheed calls it ‘big day’ for Rawalpindi
• I am not responsible for anyone’s election campaign, clarifies CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar directed the authorities on Sunday to complete the construction of Rawalpindi’s Mother and Child Hospital in 18 months without further delay.

A two-member bench headed by the chief justice heard the case related to the hospital, officials of the PWD, Nespak and other relevant departments.

During the proceedings, Justice Nisar lamented that the hospital’s construction has been delayed for 10 years.

“The Supreme Court will monitor the construction daily, noting that there will be no funds delay this time around,” the CJP asserted.

The officials sought 2 years to complete the project and cited a total cost of over Rs5.3 billion.

As the hearing was underway, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed, the petitioner in the case and a strong proponent of the project since years, asked the chief justice to visit the facility but the top judge declined.

Praising the chief justice’s involvement in the matter, Rasheed also proposed that the facility be named after Chief Justice Nisar but the suggestion was not entertained by the court.

Talking to the media outside the apex court, Rasheed termed the proceedings a “big day” for Rawalpindi.

At the last hearing of the case on June 28, the bench had directed the authorities to present a timeframe for the completion of the project. A total of Rs983 million rupees have been spent on the project so far, the court was informed.

Later in the day, the chief justice also visited the site of the under-construction hospital and admonished PWD’s chief engineer.

Chief Justice Nisar stated that the entire structure has been destroyed, adding that the work should start immediately on the project.

The chief justice also assured that all required funds will be provided, adding that the court will provide all assistance that it can, legally.

Rasheed was also present at the site during the chief justice’s visit, for which strict security arrangements had been made.

Following this, the chief justice also visited the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) where he interacted with the patients.

Chief Justice Nisar also visited the hospital’s water filtration and waste management plants where he tasted the drinking water.

His next stop was towards Polyclinic, the capital’s second largest government hospital. He expressed dismay at the unavailability of medicines, CT scan and other machines.

Chief Justice Nisar also took samples of the medicines at the hospital so they could be tested independently.

‘NOT CAMPAIGNING FOR ANYONE’:

After the visit, CJP Nisar talked to media persons and said, “I am not responsible for anyone’s election campaign.” He maintained that such a perception was incorrect and must be avoided

He said he was visiting the hospitals by his own free will in abid to resolve the patients’ problems. “The perception that I visited the hospital on Sheikh Rasheed’s request is wrong.”