LAHORE: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday vowed that it would ensure provision of clean drinking for people of Punjab. The bench comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan observed that clean drinking water, better health and education facilities were fundamental rights of the citizens.
During suo motto proceedings, the bench summoned Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed and other functionaries on Tuesday. It asked the chief secretary about steps underway or taken in the past by the provincial government to provide citizens with clean drinking water, and quality education and health facilities.
The bench asked if the chief secretary had any information about the alarming level of arsenic in the drinking water being supplied to citizens at their homes and to public facilities like hospitals and schools. “Do you know what is the fee being charged by private educational institutions?” the chief secretary was asked. The bench said it was not finding faults with the government for no reason. “We will admire the efforts of the government if we find them satisfactory,” it said. Further, it observed, “We have taken notice of the poor state of civil amenities in Karachi, and now its Punjab’s turn.”
The Chief Justice of Pakistan asked the chief secretary to join the judges on the bench on their planned visit to hospitals in the city. Later, the CJP and other judges visited Mayo Hospital and examined facilities being provided to the patients there. The chief secretary also accompanied them. The medical superintendent of the hospital apprised the judges about facilities. The SC expressed concern over alarming levels of arsenic in Punjab’s drinking water.
Published in Daily Times, December 20th 2017.
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