CJP Saqib Nisar presses Balochistan health, education secretaries over poor performance grill

F.P. Report

QUETTA: Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar grilled the health and education secretaries of Balochistan after he resumed hearing a suo motu case on various issues of public interest on Tuesday.

CJP Saqib Nisar headed the bench comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Mansoor Ali. During the hearing CJP showed displeasure at provincial health secretary for his poor performance in his sector.

He criticized the top health official of the province over the deplorable state of public hospitals as well as the salaries given to young doctors.

CJP also lamented that the province pays its doctors Rs24,000 a month whereas a driver of the apex court gets paid Rs35,000.

Similarly, the education secretary informed the court that half of the schools in the province don’t have water and adding that 11,000 toilets were constructed in the province’s schools in the last three years.

The education secretary responded further that a lack of funds restricts improvement in the sector and also blamed the teachers’ union of politicizing everything.

The chief justice then instructed him to submit a policy report in 15 days, observing that, “I used to think the situation is Sindh is dire but there is nothing here”.

The hearing was then briefly adjourned after which the chief justice left for a visit to the district courts where he interacted with lawyers and instructed authorities to improve the facilities there.