Punjab govt slow performer, says CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Friday expressed his anger at the Punjab government and said the government is very slowly performing as all the issues related to health have come to a standstill.

“Till now, the Punjab government could not constitute a healthcare board.” The Supreme Court (SC) directed the Punjab government to finalise the law for taking over the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) within a fortnight.

The court further directed the Surgeon General of Pakistan to take the charge of the hospital. Three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Faisal Arab, resumed the hearing into the case.

The CJP remarked that Rs22 billion were spent on this project while one liver has not been transplanted yet. “In Rs34 billion, five hospitals can be made. It’s a clear case for anti-corruption or NAB,” he observed. He said at the last hearing, the court asked about what to do with the trust.

He opined that firstly, they needed to decide if there was any need for a trust. On a query by the CJP, Dr Saeed Akhtar replied that he had been managing this project for the last three years and had taken not a single penny from the KPLI. He further replied that 21 kidneys had been transplanted in the hospital and also cured some cancer cases.

The CJP noted that this institute was created for the liver transplantation. “Kidneys replantation was already being done in many hospitals,” he observed. Dr Saeed Akhtar replied that for that purpose operation theatre was not prepared yet.

Upon which, the CJP replied that he knew he was very close to Punjab former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and if he wanted, he could tell how he came close to the former CM. He further asked him to explain why a trust is necessary for PKLI.

He observed that former CM made this trust for a very special reason. He asked if this trust put its own capital in this institution. He regretted that even a liver transplant of child cannot be done, they had a donor too. “Billions of rupees were gone in salaries only,” he noted. The case was adjourned for 2 weeks.