LAHORE: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday set up a five-member commission to monitor the initiatives being taken by the Sindh government to address the drought-like situation in Tharparkar.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, was hearing a suo motu case related to deaths of 400 children owing to malnutrition and other diseases in the district.
The bench expressed satisfaction over the government’s measures with regard to the provision of potable water to the people in the drought-hit areas.
The court set up a monitoring commission which will include officials of the Sindh government, the district and sessions judge of Tharparkar, Dr Sono Khangarani and Dr Tipo Sultan. The commission will be required to monitor the provincial government’s initiatives and submit its report every month.
A sessions judge of Tharparkar informed the bench that there was no transparency in the distribution of wheat among the affected people as wheat was being provided to only influential women. Besides, he said, doctors posted in the district have also been found negligent in their duties.
The Sindh advocate general stated before the court that hospitals in the drought-hit areas faced a shortage of around 150 doctors. “Medical officers are not ready to work in Thar even on higher salaries,” he said.
He said that the Sindh government has approved a plan for the provision of wheat and food items to pregnant women for free. He also conceded the fact that there were irregularities seen in the distribution of wheat.
