Petition in SC seeks countrywide uniform policy on COVID-19

ISLAMABAD: A petitioner has requested the Supreme Court to declare that the federal government must form a national policy under one flag to defeat COVID-19 in order to save the lives of the citizens.

Maulvi Iqbal Haider filed a petition in the Supreme Court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution making the Federation, secretaries of ministries of Finance, Health, DG NADRA, Ehsaas Cash Relief Programme, FBR, AGPR and provincial chief secretaries as respondents.

The petitioner prayed the apex court to direct the federal and provincial governments to grant subsidy for daily usages including food, grocery, utilities etc in order to maintain the economic life and financial stability in the country.

He further prayed to declare that due to continuous lockdown the country is facing the financial crisis and the federal government is empowered to impose the financial emergency in terms of Article 235 of the Constitution after formation of the national policy under one flag and to control and defeat the crisis of COVID-19.

He prayed the court to direct the federal and provincial governments to convert all the educational institutions and marriage halls into quarantine centres with all necessary medicines and equipment such as sanitizers, masks, gloves etc to provide every person visiting these centres.

After the formation of the national policy, the petitioner submitted that parliamentary leaders, experts, technocrats, professionals and traders would be members of the committee for the national policy who will be competent to make national policy and national funds for COVID-19 under which all the decisions would be in the national interest.