Growing coronavirus challenge: Federal government pilloried by SC

Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday recommended the removal of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar for failing to give proper response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed was hearing a suo motu case on the government's measures to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The bench, while expressing serious doubts over the eligibility and performance of the prime minister's adviser on health, said that Prime Minister Imran Khan's cabinet had become ineffective in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

However, no written order was issued on the removal of the special assistant to the prime minister on health, as the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) kept pleading the court that removal of Dr Mirza at this stage would be "disastrous".

In its order, the court sought a reply from all four provincial governments and Gilgit-Baltistan government regarding the steps taken to curb the spread of the virus.

The order, however, made no mention of Dr Mirza's removal.

The detailed order is expected in two days.

When the bench repeatedly asked the AGP about sending the special assistant on health home for his "poor" performance in dealing with the pandemic, the top legal officer of the country requested the court to leave the matter up to the federal government.

The court also took the Sindh government to task over the decision to cordon off 11 union councils, observing that there were no arrangements in place to provide people with food and medicines.

The court directed the Sindh government to present a report regarding ration distribution in the province by April 20.

At the outset of proceedings, the top court of the country constantly questioned the performance of the federal government in tackling the coronavirus situation.

"This is beyond comprehension what kind of a team is working on the coronavirus outbreak," remarked Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed, adding there was an entire army of advisers and ministers but work was still not being done.

The top judge said: "The advisers have been given the status of a minister and people allegedly involved in corruption have been appointed advisers."

The chief justice of Pakistan also observed that there were serious allegations against many top government officials; adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan's cabinet had become ineffective.

"I am sorry to say this but the prime minister [Imran Khan] has distanced himself [from the issue]," he remarked.

The federal and provincial governments are at odds with one another, while politicians are making different claims, he said.

At this, the AGP spoke his heart out in defence of the prime minister, and said: "We've got an honest prime minister for the very first time in the history of the country...if the situation doesn't improve, we don't know what will happen."

In response, the chief justice said: "We're afraid to say that this opportunity may also be wasted. We've no doubt about the honesty of the prime minister. He has the ability to choose 10 competent and qualified people to get the job done."

The CJP also questioned the attorney general about the delay in calling a session of the parliament, as the lawmakers - both the Senate and the National Assembly - have gone on quarantine themselves since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country.

The top judge said the court can't give orders to convene the session of parliament, but the lawmakers will have to find a solution to the problems being faced by the masses.

Justice Qazi Amin, a member of the five-judge bench, observed that the COVID-19 outbreak also poses a threat to the country's political structure, adding each political party is doing a presser against the other.

"All the political parties need to come together on one page in order to steer the country out of the prevailing crisis confronting the country," he added.

On April 10, after seeking detailed reports from the federal and the provincial governments about measures taken by them to contain the COVID-19, the chief justice had taken suo motu notice to oversee the efforts taken by the authorities to combat the novel coronavirus.

The Supreme Court was alarmed, when it came to know that the Balochistan government had to arrange personal protective equipment (PPE) urgently for doctors and paramedical staff at the exorbitant rate of Rs7,200 per piece from vendors in Karachi and Lahore, while the actual price of each PPE was Rs3,000 to Rs3,500 in the market.

On Saturday, the Ministry of National Health Services informed the Supreme Court that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, it was engaged with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), seeking tax waiver on the import of essential medical equipment and supplies.