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CJP directs private hospitals to submit rate lists for medical facilities
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Amal’s father calls for inquiry report to be made public
KARACHI: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Friday directed the advocate general to discuss the matter of compensation with the parents of Amal Umer, a 10-year-old who died after allegedly being hit by a stray bullet fired by a police officer during an encounter.
As a three-member special bench comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Munib Akhtar and headed by the CJP heard the case at Supreme Court’s (SC) Karachi Registry, the six-member committee probing the incident sought more time to review the police report that had been submitted on Thursday.
“Police officials submitted a report on the matter just a day earlier and Justice (r) Khilji Arif Hussain is not here either, thus, more time must be given to review the report and give recommendations.”
The CJP asked: “What action has police taken regarding this? If police personnel are given rifles then after a few days a similar incident will take place.”
As the private hospital representatives, police officials and the parents of the deceased appeared before the court, he directed all private hospitals in the city to submit rate lists for medical facilities, such as oxygen, ventilators and others by Oct 27.
The top judge asked the advocate general to look into the matter of compensation, adding that the court wanted to do something for her, as “Amal may be no more, but her sacrifice would not be in vain”.
He added that if her parents didn’t wish to accept compensation, they could consider depositing the money in the dam fund.
FATHER DEMANDS INQUIRY REPORT BE MADE PUBLIC:
Ahead of the hearing, Amal’s father called for the inquiry report to be made public.
The committee that included former Sindh inspector general police (IGP) Allah Dino Khawaja and was headed by Justice (r) Khilji Arif Hussain, had been tasked to probe the role of police officers in the incident, as well as a private hospital and a private ambulance service who reportedly denied emergency treatment and medical aid.
It also had to investigate if there was any kind of hindrance or obstruction, following which a report had to be compiled and presented to the apex court.
“[There are] many flaws in the system, there was negligence. We are hoping for strict action against [the culprits], to eradicate this negligence,” he said.
“People will follow rules only if there is accountability. Everything [all the report findings] should be shared with the public so that everyone knows [what happened]. There should be no closed-door inquiry.”
Responding to questions pertaining to help from the Sindh government and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, he said: “Bilawal himself has suffered as a result of the faulty system.”
“It’s time for action, whether it’s the Sindh government or the federal government that takes action,” he said.
He also touched upon the negligence of local law enforcement agencies, claiming that no lights or cameras have still been installed at the intersection where the incident happened, even after the passage of two months.
Earlier, in September, Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of the matter days after Amal’s mother Beenish Umer’s account of the incident appeared in media. The suo motu notice concerns the “irresponsible firing” by the police as well as the “failure of [a] well-known medical hospital to provide emergency medical aid as required by the law”.
