LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to appear in the Supreme Court today, as the top court has summoned him over the fall of polluted water into historic River Ravi.
“If the Supreme Court has summoned me, I will appear before it at every cost,” he said in an informal chat with the media on the conclusion of a ceremony at the historic Badshahi Masjid.
“I and PML-N have always upheld the constitution and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif too has been appearing in the courts for this reason,” the chief minister said.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and including Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik and Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard a suo motu on provision of unclean water in the city at the SC Lahore registry on Saturday.
The court summoned the chief minister after an alarming report revealed that 540 million gallon polluted-water was being drained into Ravi.
According to the report, submitted by the court-appointed commission comprising advocate Ayesha Hamid, 480 gallon sewerage water and 60 gallon from other sources was being drained into the river.
“Lahore is heart of Punjab and what is being drained into the heart. If this is happening in Lahore then what would be the condition of other cities,” the chief justice observed, expressing his surprise.
“If Sindh CM can appear in the court then why not the Punjab’s CM,” the CJP remarked, as he ordered CM Shehbaz to appear instantly.
However, Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed pleaded the court that the chief minister had some important engagements due to which he was unable to appear instantly and requested the court to give some time.
At this, the bench ordered the CM to appear at 11 am today to explain his position and tell the court what steps have been taken to treat the polluted water being drained into the river.
The bench also expressed dissatisfaction over non-installation of filtration plant at Ravi. “Even if a filtration project is launched in future, who will be held responsible for not doing anything in the past and causing harm to people’s health?” The CJP asked. “The court will fix the responsibility for not installing the plant,” he added.
The bench also directed the Chief Secretary to submit report on provision of clean water in the city within seven days.
Shehbaz Sharif, on the other hand, told the media he was yet to receive a formal notice for court appearance.
“Whichever court, be it accountability court or apex court, summons him and [PML-N chief] Nawaz Sharif, we will appear before them,” he remarked.
BOTTLED WATER BUSINESS
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar snubbed Punjab Food Authority Director General Noorul Amin Mengal after he told the court that 1,148 companies were running the business of bottled water while most of them were unregistered.
“How they are functioning and why action was not taken against them,” the CJP asked the officer. “It is surprising that how the companies are functioning without getting licence,” he further remarked, expressing concern over the performance of the DG.
The officer said that online portal had been provided for the companies to apply for licence. He said they could start producing bottled water after submission of required documents.
The court asked him several questions but he failed to answer many of those. The DG said that 86 out of 107 companies failed to meet the required standard after they submitted their samples. He said these companies had been shut down on the court’s orders.
On it, the CJP observed that water of more than 900 companies would be found below the standard if the same ratio was applied to 1,148 companies. “Poison is being supplied to them [the citizens] in the name of bottled water,” the CJP remarked.
The CJP then directed the Chief Secretary to shut down the unregistered companies and remove the DG if he fails to show performance.
The bench also directed the chief secretary to submit report on all the 1,148 companies and bring them under licence regime.