What PML-N govt did in Punjab in 10 years, asks CJP

LAHORE: The Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar came down hard on the Punjab chief minister for using public money for self-projection and sought a comprehensive report from the Punjab chief secretary about printing of Shahbaz Sharif’s pictures on laptops and health cards issued by the provincial authorities.

The CJP took a suo motu notice during the hearing of another suo motu case about the dumping of polluted water into rivers on Saturday. Taking a jibe at Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the chief justice asked why he (CJP) should not visit hospitals as “someone has to tend to people of Pakistan if those responsible would not do so. How many times did the chief minister and the officials visit hospitals? If people responsible for this work will not do it, somebody else has to,” the CJP remarked.

“The state resources cannot be used for personal projection,” Justice Bandial said, adding the practice would not be allowed to continue. “Everything revolves around him. Shahbaz Sharif, instead of showcasing works through advertisements, should concentrate on doing concrete work,” he said. “Why is the Punjab chief minister’s picture being printed on laptops, purchased with the taxpayers’ money,” the CJP commented, expressing his annoyance at the political parties utilising public money for their publicity campaigns.

“Why do the pictures of the Punjab chief minister surface everywhere… even date sheets have Shahbaz’s pictures printed on them,” the CJP remarked after someone presented a class 8th date sheet carrying Shahbaz Sharif’s picture. “The government officials are using the money of the nation burdened with debts for self-publicity.” “The court is deeply concerned and apprehensive about the increasing national debt,” said Justice Nisar. “The provincial government must remember that the court could order the National Accountability Bureau to investigate the advertisements published by the Punjab government,” Justice Nisar added.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial reiterated that the country had been pushed under heavy debts, while rulers were spending money on advertisements. “The governments must prioritise things. The court is concerned and fearful of the situation of debts,” he added.

The Chief Justice Nisar emphasised that the political parties must not use the funds allocated for public for their promotional campaigns. This must be done through their own resources, the CJP underlined, noting the virtuous people serve people in secrecy. The CJP warned the government officials to mend their ways while they still have time. The hearing was adjourned after the chief justice ordered the provincial chief secretary to submit a detailed report on the advertisement campaign, including the total expenses incurred on the laptop scheme.

While, hearing the suo motu notice into the release of untreated polluted water into the Punjab’s rivers and canals, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar remarked that citizens of Lahore are being exposed to poisonous water. The PML-N is in power in Punjab for the last 10 years. What has it done in the province? What has it done to tackle the polluted water issue, asked the apex court.

Criticising government’s negligence on the health sector, the CJP said billions of rupees are being spent on the Orange Line Train project but the health of the people is being neglected. He said the OLT project is important too, but Shahbaz Sharif and the officials of the Water and Sanitation Authority must answer why the health of a common man is being neglected.

“Let the chief minister come and explain it,” the CJP asked chief secretary, who conceded that nothing tangible had been done by the government to deal with the alarming situation of polluted water being released into rivers. The CJP lamented government’s performance and asked the chief secretary to run an advertisement in the media, showing government’s failure to address the issue. The court, however, abstained from summoning the chief minister after the chief secretary informed the court that the chief minister is unable to come as he is facing some health issues.

“We would not let our people drink polluted water as this issue is related to their lives. The polluted water has also made Lahore's canal water poisonous and has destroyed the ecosystem along the river bank for up to 40 kilometers. “Does the government has any remorse for what it has not done? the CJP asked.

Justice Nisar further inquired about the amount spent on the OLT project and was informed by the chief secretary that Rs180 billion were spent. However, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, present in the courtroom, informed it that the total cost of the project touched Rs235 billion mark.

Earlier, the court-appointed commissioner Ayesha Hamid revealed alarming figures about the dumping of untreated polluted water into the rivers. She stated that 540 million gallons of untreated sewage of Lahore is being thrown into River Ravi on a daily basis, while 310-MGD of raw sewage of Faisalabad is dumped into River Ravi and Chenab. In Rawalpindi, 96 MGD of untreated effluent and 162-MGD from Gujranwala are discharge into the rivers untreated, she added.

She said six treatment plants would be installed in Lahore at different places and they would become functional in three to four years, adding that only one plant at Mehmood Booti would cost Rs9 billion. She further said PC-I of the project is underway. The CJP got annoyed on hearing the plan and remarked that who would wait for three years. No one knows who would come to power next time, the CJP said.

The chief justice ordered submission of PC-I of clean water project in the court by March 23. The hearing was adjourned till March 31 and the CJP ordered submission of all data on record and also making it available online.