Wish Shahbaz is next premier

LAHORE: The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, remarked on Sunday that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) must think over it seriously to make Shahbaz Sharif the prime minister of Pakistan. “Why are you after my job?” Shahbaz retorted amid laughter in the courtroom.

The chief justice, however, responded that “(not the court but) your own people are after you.” A three-member SC bench, headed by CJP Mian Saqib Nisar, was hearing a suo moto notice of drainage of effluent into rivers and canals and improper disposal of hospitals’ waste, at the Supreme Court, Lahore Registry.

Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik and Justice Ijazul Ahsan were the other members of the bench. The CJP admired the chief minister saying: “We are not oblivious of the Punjab government’s achievement. You are running the province in a better way as compared to other provinces.”

The Supreme Court granted three weeks' time to Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif to come up with a comprehensive plan to address the serious issues of provision of clean drinking water to the people, disposal of untreated water into rivers, installation of incinerators at public hospitals and improving conditions at hospital emergencies.

In pursuit of the court orders, Shahbaz Sharif appeared before the bench. Ministers, top bureaucrats including Punjab Chief Secretary Capt (retd) Zahid Saeed, IGP Arif Nawaz, Advocate General Punjab Shakilur Rehman and others were present in the court.

The CM reached the SC Registry 10 minutes before the given time (11am), while the court assembled soon after his arrival. After the amicus curiae, Ayesha Hamid, apprised the court again about disposal of effluent into Punjab rivers and canals, the condition of sewerage and treatment plants for polluted water, the top judge observed: “This has been happening unnoticed for the last 10 years. Untreated water and pollution is destroying our land and crops and causing serious threats to human health.”

The CJP asked the chief minister about the steps taken so far to treat the sewage. The situation in public hospitals and sewerage system in cities is not satisfactory, the court remarked.

However, instead of providing any details, the chief minister started praising the apex court. He said it was a great honour for him to appear before the SC. “We honour the courts and we were part of the movement for the independence of the judiciary,” he told the bench.

“I appreciate the court’s concerns over public issues. An independent judiciary is imperative for democracy and development of the country,” the CM added. At this, the CJP remarked in a lighter vein: “Make other leaders of your party realise this (respect of the courts) as well.”

The CM said he was a human being and might make mistakes, but he left no stone unturned to serve the public. “During the last three years, we installed modern systems at various hospitals and established liver and kidney centres.”

At this, the CJP remarked: “Health and education are our main areas of concern as we are committed to giving people of this country their fundamental rights.” Judiciary and executive will have to make a collective effort to materialise it, he added.

The CJP also showed concerns over outsourcing of incinerators installation, saying it has not been done in a transparent manner. “Probe the involvement of the third person,” the court asked the CM. “Everything should be transparent,” added the CJ. “We are not satisfied as we have come across various inadequacies.”

At this, the CM said: “Transparency is dear to my heart. We all make mistakes, but I would say that billions of rupees of the public money have been saved through transparency. I’m talking about the projects directly related to people.”

He said five mega projects had been installed in Punjab and public money saved through their completion prior to the due dates. He listed different power projects including Guddu, Balloki, Bhikki and Havaili Bahadur Shah.

As the CM was on his toes, the CJP interrupted him and asked him about the steps taken to treat effluent. The bench directed the chief minister that it should be done immediately. On it, the CM requested the bench for three weeks time, saying “My team and I will prepare a comprehensive report on it and the court orders would be complied with.”

The CJP said: “I assure you there will be free and fair elections in the country from now onwards. I keep repeating this”. The chief justice also remarked during the hearing, “Health and environment sectors are in dilapidated conditions and we have serious concerns over it.”

The CJP said he personally visited the emergency of Mayo Hospital “and your (Shahbaz) leadership objected over it.” The CJP offered the CM to pay a surprise visit to any public hospital to examine the health facilities being provided to the people there. But the chief minister did not agree and sought some time.

“You take me along,” the CJP asked the chief minister. “Give me three weeks,” Shahbaz Sharif said. The CJP directed him that he should pay attention to the crucial issues.

The CM said that a total of Rs170 billion were allocated for the health sector. Liver and kidney transplant centres had also been established, he added. “This is our payback time. We can dish out gifts to the nation, and the best will come out.”

The bench directed the chief minister to give briefing on ‘Saaf Pani’ project and satisfy the court. Moving on to the matter at hand, Justice Nisar said that water in his own chamber was found contaminated.

In response to the chief justice’s remarks, the Punjab CM said that his office would come up with a comprehensive plan for water treatment and the provision of clean drinking water to people in the province.

After attending one-hour-long court proceedings, Shahbaz left the courtroom. Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah also accompanied him during the court appearance. Earlier, the court-appointed commission comprising Advocate Ayesha Hamid assisted the court about sewerage water being drained into the River Ravi, quantity of the sewerage water being produced in other cities of Punjab and details about the treatment plants.

She said that 96-million-gallon sewage was being drained out in Lahore. She said three plants would be established at Mehmood Booti, Shadbagh and Shahdara. The Asian Development Bank has funded the projects; however, the land acquisition was not included in it. She also submitted reports about incinerators installed in public and private hospitals.

The chief justice also snubbed Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan when he tried to convey some message to the CM, who was at the rostrum along with Punjab advocate general.

“Don’t you know the decorum of the court?” the CJ took notice of his ‘clever move’ in the court. He warned all the ministers present in the courtroom to maintain the decorum of the court and abstain from interrupting the court proceedings.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar ordered for removal of security barricades from several key sites in the city, including the residences of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Model Town and Jati Umra.

The court ordered the Punjab inspector general of police to remove the barricades outside Nawaz’s Jati Umra residence, Shahbaz’s Model Town residence and camp office, Governor’s House, Aiwan-e-Adl, the residence and seminary Jamia Al-Qadsia of Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, residence of the late Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, Qilla Gujjar Singh Police Station, passport office and other sites.

The chief justice also directed the Home Department to assure the bench that the barricades would be removed by midnight on Sunday. When the additional home secretary explained to the court that the barricades have been erected due to security concerns, the chief justice remarked, “I have life threats too; you should alert your forces”.

The chief justice observed that it would review the issue of barricades outside offices of security agencies and then make a decision on their removal. Chief Justice Mian Nisar admonished security officers for keeping elected representatives confined to their homes, observing that the “CM is an awami aadmi [a man of the people]; he should say ‘Shahbaz Sharif is not scared of anyone'”.

When the chief justice asked Shahbaz if they were right in saying that the Punjab chief minister replied in affirmative. The CJP also admonished the IGP and home secretary for insisting on review of court’s orders related to opening of roads.

“Khadim-e-Aala is serving the people. Let him do it. Allah’s is the Protector of all of us. “Open a tender to erect an iron and lead wall around the CM residence, so that no missile, bomb or bullet could damage it and the CM could enjoy a deep slumber inside after spending his energies in serving the people in the day,” the CJ asked the IGP.

The CJP angrily said the court had passed the order and the IGP would submit a compliance report. In case he failed to follow the court’s order, he would appear before it on Monday. “If the order is flouted, you will not be the IGP any longer, even if the CM desires so.

“I am the chief justice and also receive threats. But I don’t want to close roads around my residence,” he continued. The chief justice then remarked that the point is not to indulge in politics, adding that the judiciary and executive need to work together to safeguard public rights. He also thanked Shahbaz for appearing in the court.

According to the reports, received late in the night, the SC orders were implemented and barricades were removed from outside Nawaz Sharif’s Jati Umra residence, Shahbaz Sharif’s Model Town residence and camp office, Governor’s House, the residence of Dr Tahirul Qadri in Model Town and various other points in the city.

During the hearing, the chief justice also took suo moto notice of Punjab Police’s encounters and ordered the Inspector General of Police to provide the court details of all encounters that took place in the past one year.

Justice Mian Nisar rejected the home secretary’s request for 10 days to compile the report and said that the report should be submitted within seven days.