ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, expressed dissatisfaction over the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) report, and asked its chairman to visit the quarantine centres.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Mushir Alam, and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel heard suo motu on the coronavirus.

Additional Attorney General (AAG) Amir Rehman submitted the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and the NDMA reports.

The chief justice observed that the NDMA report about purchase of medicine and equipment was provided after SC’s repeated orders.

He said it is not clear who gave and who received the cash, as on every document its mentioned NDMA.

He said the NDMA affairs seem suspicious.

The bench declared the NDMA report “unsatisfactory”. The chief justice said billions of rupees were given to the NDMA but they do not know where those funds were spent.

He asked where is the chairman NDMA? The incumbent chairman, present in the courtroom, came on the rostrum and apprised that he has taken the charge recently. The chief justice said through Al-Hafeez Company, a factory was established for manufacturing of N-95 mask, adding, do not know who paid duty on the import of machinery for Al-Hafeez company.

He questioned why the machinery was purchased through Pakistan embassy in China. He said whether the Pak embassy in China is used only for purchasing purpose or does it perform diplomatic functions as well.

The chief justice said everyone know what happened to Haji Camp quarantine center, adding, millions of rupees were spent on it but neither there was water supply nor it was painted.

The chief justice asked the chairman NDMA to visit quarantine centers and submit its report.

The chief justice, on the application of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, ordered the Ministry of Industries and Production to determine the price of oxygen cylinder. The advocate general KP informed that the suppliers are charging different prices of the cylinder as officially its price had not been fixed yet. Justice Mazhar Alam inquired, in view of drastic effects of third wave of COVID-19 in India what measures have been taken by the federal and the provincial governments to control the spread of the pandemic in the country.

The AAG told that on April 30, the government issued NOC for import of unregistered medicine.

The chief justice questioned who and why such permission was granted.

Whether it was investigated why the medicines are being imported, he asked. The chief justice further inquired about the availability of protective gears and coronavirus medicines.

The DRAP official informed that ventilators and protective gears are being manufactured in Pakistan, adding, there is no shortage of coronavirus-related medicines.

Except for Acterma injections, there is months’ stock of corona-related medicines, he added.

Justice Mazhar Alam said there are negative reports about Actemra injection.

The chief justice suggested that by making the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) plant operational large quantity of oxygen could be produced. AAG Amir Rehman told that the PSM plant is 40 years old and Rs1 billion were required to make its operational.

He, however, said, he will submit a detailed report about it. The lawyer of the Civil Aviation Authority (CCA) said due to pilots fake degrees, Pakistan earned a bad name internationally.

The chief justice said the courts have nothing to do what is happening internationally as they decide the cases on the basis of the material placed before it.

The bench directed the CAA to pursue the pilots cases, and the DG Aviation was asked to file a progress report.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021