MANSEHRA, April 28: The legal fraternity has condemned the federal government for what they called scandalising the Supreme Court verdict against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in a contempt case.

“We condemn the government for scandalising the Supreme Court verdict against the prime minister and if the decision was not implemented we would be left with no option but to launch a movement to oust the prime minister from the office,” said Shahjahan Khan Swati, president of Mansehra District Bar Association, while speaking at a lawyers meeting here on Saturday.

The meeting, presided over by Mr Swati, also took strong notice of Mr Gilani’s speech in the parliament.

“Mr Gilani stands disqualified as prime minister and as such he should relinquish his powers instead of criticising the apex court’s judgment,” he said.

The lawyers’ leaders praised the restraint shown by the Supreme Court and supported Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry for maintaining the supremacy of judiciary. They said that the government should accept the supremacy of judiciary instead of scandalising its decision, which they said was based on justice.

HEAVY RAINS: The upper parts of Hazara received heavy rains on third consecutive day on Saturday.

According to reports, link roads in remote mountainous areas of Mansehra, Balakot, Kaghan valley, Kohistan and Battagram were blocked for vehicular traffic following landslides at different places.

Traffic also remained suspended in Mansehra city after sewerage and rain water inundated Karakoram Highway in the evening.

HEALTH MANAGEMENT: Representatives of women advocacy groups here have stressed upon the government to make district health management teams part of the health policy to bring down mother and newborn mortality ratio in the province through community awareness and participation.

“Though health services have been devolved for effective delivery of services to people and curtailing high morality ratio while making community as partner in the decision-making process, nothing like this has happened as yet,” said Nasreen Bibi, president of women advocacy group (WAG) of Mansehra, while speaking at a press conferee on Saturday.

Riffat Bibi of Mansehra WAG, president of Balakot chapter Shazia Bibi, president of Oghi Tasleema Bibi and other office-bearers also spoke on the occasion.

They said that the district health management teams supported by human resource development society were constituted in Balakot, Oghi and Mansehra tehsils of the district to curtail communicable diseases and maternal and neonatal risks in the society.

They said that the World Health Organisation had envisaged the district health councils which were formed in the shape of district health management teams (DHMT), but these were yet to be incorporated in the district health policy prepared by provincial government.

“The government should ensure community’s participation for better delivery of health services,” said one of the speakers.