LAHORE - Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar took notice of delay in dispensation of justice to the victims of the Model Town incident and summoned record of the case from the trial court, here on Sunday.

The top judge also summoned the NAB prosecutor general for next week saying that anti-corruption bureau will be asked to investigate Punjab Saaf Pani Company scandal in 15 days, after the chief secretary confessed that Rs400 million spent on the project had gone to waste.

The chief justice took notice on the Model Town case after he saw a group of people holding placards and banners at the GPO Chowk – the intersection he passes through to go back home after hearing cases at the Supreme Court Lahore registry.

One of the banners read: “Chief Justice Sahib, please get us justice!”

The CJP stopped at the square and asked the protesters about their problem. The victims complained about the slow working of the trial court. They said four years have passed to the incident but the case was still pending.

The CJP assured a girl Bisma, whose mother died in the police shooting in Model Town, that she should not be worried as she would surely get justice.

At least 14 people had died and 85 others got injured during a clash between the police and the PAT workers four years ago in Model Town over the issue of barriers put outside Minhajul Quran Secretariat.

The victims allege the police shot at unarmed protesters unnecessarily, and the use of brute force resulted in the fatalities.

An Anti-Terrorism Court has been holding trial of the case in which police and civil administration officials have been implicated.

But the victims believe ruling party leaders, especially Nawaz Sharif, Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, who are excluded from the trial, to be primarily responsible for the deaths.

Saaf Pani case

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar made it clear on Sunday that all those responsible for corruption and mishandling different projects and public sector companies in Punjab will be held accountable.

He, along with Justice Ijazul Ahsan, was hearing a suo motu notice on poor performance of Punjab Saaf Pani Company [PSPC].

The top judge rejected the report of PSPC CEO Capt (r) Muhammad Usman and summoned prosecutor general of National Accountability Bureau next week to explain this scandal.

“Everybody will be held accountable including those who appointed the officers with these companies,” CJP Nisar remarked. “They have to pay every single penny of the public money”.

The CJP also sought complete record of all the 52 public sector companies from the Punjab government for the next week.

Besides PSPC serving CEO, company’s ex-CEO Waseem Ajmal, Punjab Chief Secretary Capt (r) Zahid Saeed, Punjab Advocate General Shakilur Rehman and other officials from different departments were also present.

During the proceedings, the chief secretary said that 116 small units for water treatment had been established in different districts of the province.

However, he made the shocking confession that the company’s performance was deteriorating and despite spending Rs400 million on the project, there was not even a single drop of pure water for the citizens.

At the outset of the proceedings, PSPC CEO Usman appeared before the bench in compliance of Saturday orders regarding provision of complete record of the company, including the details of the staff, their salaries, vehicles and all other perks.

“What kind of CEO you are that you don’t have the record,” CJP Saqib snubbed him when he failed to present complete record and explain company’s performance.

“Four hundred million rupees have gone to waste and still there is not even a single drop of pure water for the citizens,” the CJP lamented him.

He asked the CEO to tell the court if he had any background and expertise in drinking water management, what job he was doing before joining PSPC and how much salary he was drawing from his previous employer.

The officer said he joined government service in year 2000 and mostly served as DDO Revenue in different areas, and then as Gilgit Baltistan home secretary and later as secretary of a local department.

Usman said his appointment to the PSPC was made few months ago and he was drawing Rs1.4 million as salary. His reply further irked the judge.

Former PSPC CEO Waseem Ajamal, who was also summoned there, briefed the bench about Pattoki project, pointing out the reason behind its failure.

He said foreign consultants were hired on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif despite their recommendations for the local experts. He also said he was facing cases in NAB and Anti-Corruption Department just for speaking out on the issue.

When asked about the board of directors of the company, CEO Usman presented names of the members.

When asked to provide the profiles of the members, ex-CEO Waseem Ajmal said that brother and wife of a politician were among the members of the board but he showed reluctance to pronounce their names.

On CJP’s pressing, he revealed that Asim Qadri and Uzma Qadri, the brother and wife of provincial minister Zaeem Qadri respectively, were also the members of the board.

“It is CM who approves appointment of the BoD members,” said Waseem. At this, the CJP expressed serious concern.

Turning his attention to serving CEO Usman the judge asked what he had done so far in the company while he was getting huge salary and enjoying other perks and privileges.

“You are getting Rs1. 4 million and look what you have done,” CJP Nisar observed while regretting over the poor performance of the company.

Addressed to Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed, he remarked, “Why don’t you too join any company as its CEO? He (Usman) is making a fortune, shouldn’t you also get huge amounts as salary —what you say?”

About Provincial Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Zaeem Qadri, the CJP said, “He is [often] seen explaining things [about Saaf Pani] on TV channels. [Someone should tell] where the huge amount of R 400 million has gone?”

The CJP asked CEO Usman that why he was being obliged. “Was it just because he had shown ‘performance’ as an officer in Lahore?”

Justice Saqib said he would now summon every CEO of the public sector companies.

Saying that the court would ask NAB to decide the PSPC matter within 15 days, he summoned NAB prosecutor general on the next hearing. The court adjourned further hearing until next Saturday.