LAHORE: The Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended the Board of Commissioners of the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) and issued contempt notices to provincial minister for health Dr Yasmin Rashid, the chief secretary, the secretary and the additional secretary for health for forming it without seeking an approval from court.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar expressed serious displeasure over the formation of the board and observed that the court had directed the authorities that all names suggested for the board should be provided to it first but the order was not obeyed.

“The notification of the board’s members without the approval of the court amounts to contempt of court,” observed the chief justice and directed the health minister and others to submit their replies to the contempt notices within two days.

Justice Nisar issues contempt notice to health minister, chief secretary

Expressing annoyance over the inclusion of what he said ineligible members in the board, Chief Justice Nisar at one point decided to summon Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, however, showed restraint.

The chief justice observed that a former unconfirmed judge of the Lahore High Court had also been made member of the board whereas rules did not allow such an induction. The board should have competent people, he added.

Previously, Chief Justice Nisar had dissolved the board after one of its members reportedly misbehaved with retired justice Amir Raza A. Khan, the chairman of the PHC. The chief justice had also summoned the members of the board including senior journalist Hussain Naqi.

The CJP had ordered the government to reconstitute the board within two weeks and present the names of the proposed members before the court first.

Private Universities: The chief justice questioned those celebrating the birth anniversary of the Quaid-i-Azam every year on Dec 25 by observing a holiday instead of doing more work.

“We take leaves to celebrate birthdays of those who sacrificed their lives for this country,” regretted the chief justice. He remarked that the motto of the Quaid-i-Azam was ‘work, work and work’ only.”

“By doing court work today, we are paying homage to the founder of Pakistan in fact,” the chief justice told all those present in the courtroom.

“No political leader including Nehru was even near the stature of my leader (Quaid-i-Azam),” the chief justice said with pride.

Meanwhile, the chief justice directed the Punjab law minister and health minister to appear in person on next hearing to explain position on the legitimacy of private universities.

Earlier, a law officer told the court that the government had constituted a committee to deliberate upon the legal value of the private universities. He said a meeting of the committee was already scheduled for Dec 28 on the matter.

The chief justice observed that the formation of committees would not serve any purpose as they took years to come up with reports. And the court did not have time to wait for the outcome of the committees, said the chief justice and added, “the ministers concerned should be present in court.”

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2018