CJP orders
to reconstruct earthquake devastated
schools in KP
ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan Thursday took notice of the attack on Hindu temple by a charged mob in Bhong village of Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab and summoned Punjab Chief Secretary and Inspector General of police before the court on Friday (today).
According to a statement, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed has taken notice of the attack on a Hindu temple by the charged mob in Bhong. It said that the Chief Justice of Pakistan took cognizance of the incident after MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, who is the patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council, called on Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed at the Supreme Court in Islamabad to discuss the issue of the temple attack.
According to the Press release issued by the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice “showed grave concern over the tragic incident.”
He fixed the matter before the court on August 6 (today) at Islamabad, and directed the Punjab Chief Secretary and Inspector General (IG) of police to appear before the court for the hearing alongwith a report. Dr Ramesh Kumar has also been summoned, the statement added.
The incident took place on Wednesday, when hundreds of people vandalized the Hindu temple in Bhong and blocked the Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5) after a nine-year-old Hindu boy, who was charged with blasphemy of sacred places, was granted bail by a local court.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court also ordered to reconstruct earthquake devastated schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) within six months and summoned Chairman Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) on the next date of hearing.
A two-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed conducted hearing of suo moto notice regarding non-availability of basic structure in KP schools, destroyed by earthquake.
The bench rejected the KP government’s request to grant one year for reconstruction of schools.
The Chief Justice questioned that why the schools in KP could not be reconstructed despite receiving billions of rupees.
He remarked that it seemed education is the lowest priority of the provincial government. At this, Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that literacy rate in KP is very high.
Chief Justice Gulzar said that how the literacy rate could be high when schools were not reconstructed.
He said that 16 years have passed but still schools in earthquake affected areas could not be reconstructed.
He added that billions of rupees were allocated, but there was no result.
He said that though the schools in some earthquake affected areas were reconstructed, but those are still non-functional.
The AG KP informed that rehabilitation of areas, devastated by earthquake, was the responsibility of the ERRA.
He said that the KP government was given control of those areas in 2020.
The Chief Justice remarked that it is not good to shift burden of non-availability of facilities in schools to ERRA.
Chief Justice Gulzar said that the whole mess is for money.
He further said that the KP bureaucracy is inefficient as the officers remain sitting in the AC rooms and do nothing. If the bureaucracy cannot work then they should go home, he added.
The Chief Justice said that the KP Education Department should be ashamed of not able to make schools functional.
He added that for the last 16 years the children in earthquake affected areas were deprived of education.
He asked from the AG KP to look at the Governor, CM and officers houses and remarked that the bureaucrats think huge money was allocated for them.
The bench directed the KP government to file progress report within one month and adjourned the case.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan strongly condemned the attack on Ganesh Mandir in Bhung area in Rahim Yar Khan on Thursday.
In a tweet, he said that he had already asked the Inspector General of Police, Punjab to ensure arrest of all culprits and take action against any police negligence. The Prime Minister said the government will also restore the Mandir.
