Two liquor bottles: CJP says he knows who replaced samples

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice (CJ) Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday gave his reaction twice over the incident of his recent surprise visit to a hospital in Karachi where he found bottles of liquor in one of the rooms that was made sub-jail.

The CJ, while heading a three-member bench of the apex court hearing a case about shortage of hospitals and low facilities over there, while reacting to the hue and cry made on his recent visit to the Ziauddin Hospital in Karachi, said he visited the sub-jail established in the hospital.

He said that he found the sub-jail in the hospital not less than a presidential suit. Without naming Sharjeel Inam Memon, the Chief Justice said that he is quite aware under whose supervision samples were changed and what is being talked about in hospitals.

The Chief Justice noted that it seems as though honey and oil were recovered from the bottles after his visit to the said hospital. The Chief Justice hinted as to if the Sindh government did not support the court in Memon's case, its proceedings could be transferred to Punjab.

The Chief Justice asked Chief Secretary Sindh about the liquor bottles to which the Chief Secretary noted that a report on the contents of the bottles seemed 'suspicious’, adding that it seems that the reports had been tampered with.

The Chief Secretary said that they will look into the matter as CCTV footage of the hospital and Memon's room which had been declared sub-jail is available. He assured that a comprehensive report will be submitted before the court.

The Chief Justice said that he had not called for an examination of the contents of the bottles found from the hospital room. The CJ recalled that Memon never denied that there was alcohol in the bottles, as he just said bottles were not his.

Last week, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar paid a surprise visit to hospitals in Karachi where high-profile political prisoners were under treatment. Justice Nisar also went to Ziauddin Hospital where Memon was shifted from jail. During the visit, the CJ found liquor bottles in the room, following which police raided the hospital and claimed of recovering the bottles.

However, later it was said that bottles recovered from Memon’s room did not contain alcohol but had honey and olive oil instead. The Chief Justice observed as to if he intended to arrest the "man", he would have done so right then. He further said that he would have had a medical test conducted and had him arrested on the spot.

Meanwhile, during the hearing the chief justice observed that the facilities in the public sector hospitals of federal capital were not adequate and sufficient adding that when people visit heath institutions in private sector, people are being looted with both hands.

The chief justice said that there should be a proper mechanism to control the health institutions. He that still Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Secretary has not come up with a solution as to how shortage of hospitals in the federal could be overcome. The court then summoned comprehensive report from Secretary CADD and Secretary Health over the matter.

Meanwhile, the Chie Justice while hearing a case pertaining to investment in Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), made further remarks on the matter. During the hearing, when the name of Dr Asim Hussain, former petroleum minister and owner of Ziauddin Hospital, came up, the CJ inquired i Ziauddin Hospital owned by him.