Daily Times

QUETTA: Chief Justice (CJP) Saqib Nisar on Monday summoned Ministers of Balochistan to justify and explain the work done in the 4-year tenure as the government of the province.

CJ, heading a three-member bench comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Mansoor Ali alongside him, presided over hearings of the Supreme Court’s (SC) Quetta Registry pertaining to the issues of hospitals in Balochistan.

Provincial Chief Secretary, Provincial Health Secretary and Education Secretary appeared before the court for the case proceedings.

During the hearing CJ remarked that the ministers of Balochistan should be held accountable for the power and authority vested within them. He said that they should explain what they have done for the welfare of the people of Balochistan.

He inquired about the strike of young doctors in Balochistan’s hospitals, stating that the court had ordered a halt to it. He inquired on how the patients were being attended if the doctors were still on strike.

Provincial Health Secretary Saleh Muhammad Nasser responded that the patients were not being treated as there were no private hospitals in Balochistan and only one medical college. He added that the government was set to inaugurate three medical colleges soon.

Justice Nisar had previously said that he’d be taking up cases of public interest of Balochistan. He informed the provincial health secretary that he wanted to visit the hospitals and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) had been issued.

The young doctors of outpatient departments (OPD) at government hospitals in Balochistan had called for a strike in March demanding appointments on vacant seats, payment of salaries and provision of new machines at medical facilities. Later, the government had promised to fulfill the demands of the doctors. However, when the demands were not met, the doctors resumed their strike on April 6 and observed its fourth day on Monday.

CJ on Monday visited Civil Hospital Quetta ordering that medical colleges of Balochistan charging fee over Rs 856,000 refund the amount to the students.