SC questions PPP-led govt over situation in Thar

ISLAMABAD : The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed its displeasure over the situation in drought-stricken Thar and questioned the Pakistan Peoples Party-led (PPP) government over measures taken to mitigate the situation.

The apex court also summoned the top officials of the province to brief the court regarding the possible solutions.

The chief secretary, advocate general, secretary finance and other senior officials were summoned by the three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar.
During the hearing, Secretary Health Sindh Dr Usman Chachar claimed that the situation in the region has seen “much improvement” and it was not as wretched as other parts of the country.

“How long have deaths been occurring in the region,” asked the CJP. The health secretary replied that deaths have been taken place for the last three to four years in the drought-hit region.

“This year, 486 children have died,” added Chachar and further said most of the deaths were of children aged between one to 29 days.

The health secretary further added that most of the deaths took place in Civil Hospital Mithi and the primary cause is food shortage and due to lack of time gaps between births.

Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan, who was asked to assist the bench, stated that the “birth of only 20 per cent of newborns is being registered in the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) database in the region.”

He requested the bench to conduct a forensic audit of the finances being spent on the health sector in Sindh.

The bench has asked the attorney general to submit written reply in the matter and the hearing of the case was adjourned till Thursday.

Source: Express Tribune