KARACHI: Expressing displeasure with Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar with regard to the Oct 24 protest by residents of Pakistan Quarters during a police action to vacate government houses from them, Chief Justice of Pakistan Main Saqib Nisar on Friday observed that ethnic issues in Karachi must now come to an end.

The chief justice made this observation while heading a three-judge bench during the hearing of a set of suo motu proceedings and petitions at the Supreme Court’s Karachi registry.

The mayor was present in the courtroom when the CJP asked him why he did not bring the issue of Pakistan Quarters into his notice and sought more time or to make alternative arrangements before vacating the government houses without creating a law and order situation.

The mayor, however, replied that the action in Pakistan Quarters did not come under his domain.

The CJP was of the view that the politics on linguistic and ethnic lines in the city should be buried.

Joint anti-encroachment drive in Saddar ordered

The CJP directed all stakeholders to come up on Saturday (today) with joint efforts to remove encroachments from Karachi.

The chief justice also inquired from the mayor about removal of encroachments from parks and cleaning of storm-water drains.

Stakeholders asked to make Saddar area encroachment-free

Mayor Akhtar said that choking points of 38 big drains of the city had been cleared and work was still under way.

However, he once again complained that he lacked powers to launch a grand operation against encroachments. He added that he had taken action on Kashmir Road and other areas to remove encroachments.

About encroachments on footpaths, the CJP also expressed resentment with the provincial law officer who said pushcart owners earned a living there. The bench made clear that footpaths were only meant for pedestrians and the authorities should make alternative arrangements for pushcarts.

The CJP further observed that if footpaths were used to earn a living then why money was being spent to build such walkways.

The bench, which was hearing a matter against encroachments in public parks and conversion of amenity lands for commercial and residential purposes, was informed that public spaces including areas underneath flyovers had also been encroached upon.

The CJP summoned top officials of the Karachi Development Authority, Cantonment Board Karachi, Karachi Water & Sewerage Board, inspector general of police, city commissioner and others for Saturday (today) to conduct a joint exercise to remove encroachment from Empress Market and neighbouring areas in Saddar.

The area will serve as a model for the purpose of curbing the menace of encroachments in Karachi.

Details of private hospitals’ charges sought

Stressing the need for a regulatory body for private hospitals and an affordable healthcare system, the CJP directed some leading private hospitals of the city to come up with details of fees/rate list being charged from patients.

Referring to the apex court’s measures taken against those private hospitals which were overcharging patients in Lahore, he said that some ethics should also be applied in the heath sector here.

At one stage, the chief justice said that he could direct the authorities concerned to from a regulatory body after an official of a leading private hospital insisted that their charges were higher since they were providing high standard services.

In the previous hearing, the bench had summoned the officials of private hospitals during the suo motu proceedings on the tragic killing of 10-year-old girl Amal in Defence and also constituted a special committee to suggest composition of an inquiry team for identifying negligence on part of the police and private hospitals in dealing with emergency situations.

The bench was informed that the terms of reference had been finalised and the committee was holding its meetings.

Infants’ deaths in Thar

The bench directed the provincial law officer to submit a report about steps taken to improve the situation in Tharparkar in two weeks.

The CJP said that he along with two other members of the bench would also visit the drought-hit region.

When the bench took up the matter regarding death of over five infants at the Civil Hospital Mithi due to malnutrition and diseases, the advocate general Sindh submitted that the provincial authorities had taken various steps to improve the situation and long- and short-term plans were being prepared.

Audit of special initiatives dept ordered

The bench directed the Auditor General of Pakistan to conduct a forensic audit of the funds allocated for the special initiatives department, which had been dissolved on the directive of the apex court, within three weeks.

The CJP expressed surprise over allocation of a huge budget for the now disbanded department and directed the chief secretary to complete all the schemes and tasks which were returned to their original departments.

He said that the forensic audit was ordered to ascertain the proper utilisation of funds by the dissolved department.

Meanwhile, the CJP also heard many cases of human rights including missing persons, removal from service and non-payment of salaries.

Dozens of people staged demonstrations outside the apex court building for the recovery of their missing relatives, against demolition of their houses and removal from service from government and private organisations.

Published in Dawn, October 27th , 2018

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