Why court a ‘controversial’ SC, asks CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar remarked if apex court is controversial, why the people approach it.

He said that he visited the Rawalpindi Mother and Child Hospital for the sake of the masses as he had nothing to do with anyone’s election campaign.

He expressed these views while hearing a case pertaining to Rawalpindi's Mother and Child Hospital on Monday. He remarked that he had no political affiliation with Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, resumed hearing into a case pertaining to the hospital's construction on Monday.

During the hearing, the AML chief was also present inside the courtroom, while on the occasion, the chief justice inquired the additional attorney general as to what result he had reached and where the contractor was.

To which, the additional attorney general responded saying the contractor could not appear before the court.

Justice Nisar said that Public Works Department (PWD) should work on this justifiably and injustice should not be done to anyone.

The additional attorney general informed the court that a committee, headed by a doctor, would be constituted in this regard within two days.

He said the committee would look into the purchase of machinery and other affairs of the hospital.

The additional attorney general said that all sort of work on the hospital would start together and would be finished in 18 months. "Previously, the hospital had three operation theatres, but now it would have 14."

The PWD officials urged for the formation of a monitoring committee regarding construction of the hospital, having a representative of the Supreme Court.

At this, the chief justice ordered inclusion of Khawaja Dawood in the committee on behalf of the Supreme Court and submission of a monthly report with regard to the hospital's construction.

Dawood is the additional registrar of the apex court.

During the hearing, the chief justice remarked that there can be issues relating to the hospital's construction by the Ministry of Finance, adding, "If felt necessary, we will conduct its hearing every month."

Explaining his visit to the hospital on the AML chief's request, the chief justice said that he had no political affiliation with Rasheed.

“We went for the sake of masses, not for anyone’s campaign,” he said.

On the occasion, Sheikh Rasheed told Justice Nisar that a certain group of individuals was running a campaign against him.

To this, the chief justice responded saying that on Sunday, a perception was created as if he had gone there on someone’s campaign.

“Sheikh sahib, you have your own politics; I have nothing to do with that,” he told the AML chief. It is pertinent to mention here that the chief justice directed the relevant authorities on Sunday to complete the construction of Rawalpindi’s Mother and Child Hospital in 18 months. He had also visited the hospital along with Sh Rasheed, which drew criticism on social media.