Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) on Saturday said that the judiciary is forced to interfere in matters due to negligence of the government officials.

While hearing the case regarding death of five new-borns in Civil Hospital Mithi Khail, CJP remarked that the infant mortality issue is not being countered properly and that ‘more and more cases appear everyday’.

“Judiciary is forced to interfere in government matters and when we do so, we are called foolish. I was ashamed to watch the footage of Larkana Hospital’s situation. Parents bring their new-borns for treatment and are handed over dead bodies later,” Justice Nisar said.

During the case hearing, the health secretary presented a report before the SC saying that the reasons for growing infant mortality rate is due to low-birth weight among infants, pneumonia and cholera.

Justice Nisar, however, rejected the report remarking that ‘it is an excuse’. “There are dozens of health related problems in Sindh,” CJP said while also criticising the government official questioning that “Mr. secretary, why don’t you start working for a different department?”.

Karachi based pediatrician Dr Nawaz Mullah requested the CJP to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe corruption in the health sector. To this end, Justice Nisar said that the judiciary will ‘ponder upon the idea’.