CJ orders crackdown on quacks in KP

PESHAWAR: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday directed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Healthcare Commission to shut down the so-called clinics of all the quacks in the province within a week or else face action.

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah also took notice of dropping of an inquiry against a fake doctor by the KP chief minister. The chief justice expressed surprise as to how a fake doctor having education up to matric or intermediate did job as an MBBS doctor in the main public hospital, Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar for about two years.

The bench asked the chief secretary and secretary health of the province to get reply from the chief minister as to why he dropped the government inquiry in the case of the fake doctor Qudratullah or to appear in the court to give an explanation.

Secretary Health Abid Majeed informed the bench that the chief minister had dropped the provincial government's inquiry into the case of the fake doctor who was performing duty in the hospital after receiving the report of the departmental probe.

The chief justice observed that maybe the chief minister did this due to nepotism, but the court wanted a reply and the reasons as to why the inquiry was dropped midway. He remarked that the quacks are destroying the lives of the people, but the government was doing nothing about it.

The court was hearing a case against quacks in KP at the Supreme Court Peshawar's Registry. The bench also heard suo motu notices related to pollution, flow of fluids and sewage water to canals and safe drinking water.

During the course of hearing, Justice Saqib Nisar grilled Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KP Healthcare Commission Sqn Ldr (R) Aazar Sardar for not doing enough against quacks. He reminded him that he is drawing a salary of Rs0.5 million, but his output is zero.

The chief justice told Aazar Sardar that it was his duty after the Supreme Court decision at the Lahore Registry to take strict action and shut down clinics of all the quacks in the province. In response to the chief justice's question regarding the number of quacks in the province, the KP Healthcare Commission head replied that there are 15,000 quacks. When asked what action was taken against fake doctors, he replied that 122 doctors have been banned. Chief Secretary Muhammad Azam Khan informed the court that the government had also arrested 485 quacks in the province, adding this was the mandate of the Healthcare Commission.

The Supreme Court set one-week deadline for the Healthcare Commission to take province-wide action against quacks. It made it clear that "no stay orders will be issued in this case." "If anyone wants a stay order, then they should come to the Supreme Court," the chief justice ordered.

The chief justice wondered that the chief secretary is getting Rs182,000 salary while Healthcare Commission's head is drawing Rs0.5 million even though his performance is unsatisfactory. "What kind of a province is this where the chief secretary earns Rs182,000 and his subordinate gets Rs0.5 million," the chief justice remarked. Aazar Sardar informed the court that the Healthcare Commission was established in November, 2016 and despite facing shortage of employees as it had presently 16 staffers only, it had achieved a lot by registering double the number of private hospitals compared to the past. He assured that strict action would be taken against the quacks under the law as the survey being carried has now been completed.

In a suo motu case pertaining to the provision of clean water in KP, the apex court ordered the provincial government to get water samples of the province tested from laboratories in Punjab.

"How do you conduct tests for water when you don't have a proper laboratory or any advanced equipment?" the chief justice asked.

About the notice on air pollution, Secretary Environment Nazar Hussain Shah submitted a report to the bench and explained that air pollution is being strictly monitored and 500 cases have been filed against the violators including cement factories, steel mills, marble factories and stone crushing machines.

The chief justice said that he would take up this case and asked for detailed reply and actions taken against the violators.

In compliance with the order, IGP Salahuddin Mehsud informed the bench that 1,769 police personnel were closed to the police lines from their previous job providing security to influential individuals. He added that these cops had been withdrawn.

Justice Saqib Nisar praised the provincial police chief for withdrawing personal security granted to unauthorised persons. A day earlier, he had ordered that security protocol granted to unauthorised persons in all the provinces be withdrawn.

The chief justice commended the IG, saying: "You have done excellent work. Thank you!"

The chief justice also said that he is satisfied with Chief Secretary Azam Khan's conduct. "Chief secretary, you have also done good work," he added.

Before leaving the courtroom, the chief justice asked the secretary education that he was not satisfied with his performance. He also showed dissatisfaction over the state of education in the province.