Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday summoned Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid and others in the matter relating to delay in purchase of ventilators for hospitals. The Chief Justice also directed special health secretary, "Ask your chief minister also to stay in the city on next hearing as he could be summoned on a short notice".
A special bench was hearing a matter regarding restoration of United Christian Hospital (UCH). The special secretary health Usman Moazzam informed the court that delay in the purchase of ventilators is due to shortage of funds. The officer pointed out that the purchase of the ventilators for the hospitals in the province would cost Rs750 million. He also told the court that process of bid carried out to this effect had also been expired.
Chief Justice showed displeasure over the delay in buying of the life saving equipment and directed the health minister, secretaries for health and finance, and managing director of Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority to appear on December 22.
The bench adjourned the matter of the UCH to deliberate upon the options as how to restore the hospital and observed that the court will not let the hospital to be further exploited by internal disputes of different factions of Christian community.
He also dispelled an impression as if the court was going to snatch control of the hospital from Christians. He however said, "The court can nominate any retired army officer from the Christian community to look after affairs of UCH but will not allow churches to do their politics at the cost of this hospital".
Recalling his visit to the UCH, Chief Justice regretted that a great hospital of its time had turned into ruins due to internal conflicts of the Christians running its affairs.
Earlier, a court's appointed committee told the Chief Justice that management of Forman Christian (FC) College and Kinnaird College showed their willingness to work with the UCH for its restoration and up-gradation. The committee's head stated that a meeting to this effect had been scheduled for December 15.
Advocate Nayyar Abbas Rizvi also told the court that a Pakistani doctor working in US was also willing to invest 100 million dollars in the UCH. The bench asked the lawyer to submit a presentation on the matter on next hearing.