LHC CJ seeks report on ‘threatening call’ by MPA

LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan took notice of a "threatening" phone call by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Sumsam Bukhari to doctors and sought a report from Punjab health secretary.

The chief justice was hearing a petition seeking directions for burial of Covid-19 victims in separate graveyards when he referred to a leaked phone call of Samsam Bokhari wherein he threatened senior doctors of the government of dire consequences for not entertaining his demand.

Chief Justice Khan observed that the parliamentarian, in a midnight call, hurled threats to doctors and pressurised the whole health department. "Is there different law for rulers and commoners?" he wondered.

The CJ directed the secretary for primary healthcare to submit a report on the matter and apprise whether the body of a Covid-19 victim was handed over to the deceased's family after the threatening call made by MPA Bukhari to doctors of Depalpur.

Chief Justice Khan also adjourned for the next week the hearing of the petition by citizen, Syed Husnain Haider. The petitioner contended that patients of novel Covid-19 were supposed to be kept in isolation due to the fear of the spread of the infection.

He said the patients in case of death were being buried under strict precautionary measures in the graveyards. The petitioner argued that the people dying of the virus should be buried in separate graveyards to avoid spread of the infection.

He requested the court to order the government to immediately restrain burial of coronavirus victims in public graveyards. He also requested for direction for the government authorities to establish dedicated graveyards for the coronavirus victims.