INP/dna

KARACHI -  Supreme Court Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has said the footpath school in the Clifton area should continue until the authorities provide a proper place to relocate the school to.

The chief justice said this on Saturday while hearing a suo motu case at Supreme Court’s Karachi Registry on the Sindh government’s alleged move to shut down the school. During the hearing, the chief justice said the Sindh education department should not nag the administration of the school for closure of the school. Instead, he said, the school should be provided with all necessary facilities.

The school located under the Bahria Icon Tower flyover in Clifton area of Karachi has reportedly received threats about closure by the Sindh government.  In January this year, Syeda Anfas Ali Shah Zaidi, who has been running the footpath school for the last three years, said that Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) Managing Director Naheed Durrani asked them to close down the school at the earliest.

Jatoi, Memon's cases grab

judge’s attentionINP

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday went hard on doctors who had prepared a medical report for Shahrukh Jatoi, the prime suspect in the Shahzeb Khan murder case. He also visited Jinnah Hospital to see for himself how the hospital was running its affairs.

Hours later, he ordered former provincial minister Sharjeel Inam Memon to be returned to jail from a medical facility he is being kept at.

An accountability court in Karachi had on Thursday indicted Memon and 11 others in a corruption case pertaining to award of advertisements at 'exorbitant rates' through abuse of power.

Shahrukh Jatoi's report, prepared by the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and read out in the court by Inspector General of Sindh Prisons Police Nusrat Magan — had clearly not satisfied the top judge, who questioned standards of medical institute and decided to pay it an unannounced visit.

Taking exception, he said reports showed the situation at hospitals was far from satisfactory. He expressed his annoyance at the smell in the emergency department.

The CJ asked Health Secretary Dr Fazlullah Pechuho to explain as to when the situation at government-operated hospitals would get better.

Pechuho replied the government was providing funds to hospitals to improve healthcare and other related facilities.

CJ Nisar told the health secretary to swear on affidavit that the JPMC and other hospitals were well-equipped with all healthcare facilities.

The chief justice expressed dissatisfaction with performance of the Jinnah Medical and Dental College and issued notice to officials of the college to submit their comments.

Justice Nisar had last week taken notice of Jatoi's shifting to the JPMC from Karachi's Central Jail following an alleged deterioration in his medical condition just a week after the SC set aside bail granted to him by the Sindh High Court.

The young Jatoi underwent a medical check-up for a “health-related complaint” and was “advised” hospitalization.

However, there was no word from police and health authorities as to the nature of the illness being faced by Jatoi — who is in his early 20s. Executive Director of JPMC Dr Seemin Jamali had said at the time that the information was not being divulged "to protect the patient’s privacy".

The chief justice was irked when he was told that Jatoi was being kept in Category C jail.

Why is a death sentence suspect being kept in Category C jail, Justice Nisar asked, and summoned a report from the jail administration on how many prisoners have been transferred to hospitals.

CJP visits JPMC

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday visited Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) to review healthcare facilities and the state of cleanliness at one of the biggest government-run hospital of the metropolis.

Accompanied by top health officials, the chief justice visited emergency and other wards of the hospital and expressed displeasure over poor sanitation. He said the emergency ward reeked of unpleasant smell and directed heath officials to heed to cleanliness.

He interacted with patients, who complained of lack of facilities at the hospital. Earlier, headed by CJP Nisar, a bench of the apex court heard a case pertaining to healthcare facilities in Sindh at the apex court’s Karachi registry. During the course of the hearing, the chief justice announced to visit the hospital to review the situation there. Taking great exception, he said reports showed the situation at hospitals was far from satisfactory.

He asked health secretary Dr Fazlullah Pechuho to explain as to when the situation at government-operated hospitals would get better. Pechuho replied the government was providing funds to the hospitals to improve healthcare and other related facilities. CJP Nisar asked the health secretary to swear an affidavit that the JPMC and other hospitals were well-equipped and had all healthcare facilities. The chief justice expressed dissatisfaction over performance of Jinnah Medical and Dental College and issued notice to officials of the college to submit their comments.

It is pertinent to mention here that CJP Nisar was repeatedly criticised by the ruling elite for visiting a medical facility in Punjab.