SHC asks health commission to submit detailed report of its performance

The commission head is summoned with complete record of all actions taken by SHCC

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) sought a detailed performance report of Sindh Health Care Commission (SHCC) and summoned its chief on May 9 along with the complete record.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and comprising Justice Agha Faisal, was hearing the petition on Thursday pertaining to the death of Nashwa, and other cases due to the negligence of hospital.

The court asked that what the commission was doing and what action it has taken so far in cases of negligence by hospitals.

Health department deputy secretary informed the court that the commission had already sealed Darul Sehat Hospital.

The bench remarked that petition was filed regarding one hospital but it wants to know the overall performance of the commission. ''How many hospitals were visited by the commission and what action was taken against them?" the bench questioned.

The petitioner, Asad Iftikhar, said that the number of unregistered and substandard hospitals and clinics has increased due to the negligence of SHCC.

He said 95 nurses in Darul Sehat Hospital were unregistered and untrained, but the hospital was fined only Rs0.5 million over such a big matter.

He pleaded the court to seek complete performance report from the SHCC as it was the responsibility of the commission to monitor hospitals, clinics, laboratories and other medical institutions.



Issue of CNICs

The same bench issued notices on Thursday to the ministry of interior, National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) authorities and others over the pleas against blocking of C0mputerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) of the citizens.

Petitioner Shahid's counsel Advocate Usman Farooq argued that Nadra makes mistakes and then doesn't rectify it. Citizens have to visit the courts when Nadra should be making corrections itself. All the documents from 1972 onwards are present and yet CNICs are being blocked and basic rights being violated.

The court issued notices to ministry of interior, Nadra and other parties and adjourned the hearing.

Missing persons

The SHC expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of Sindh Police, Joint Investigation Team (JIT) officials, Provincial Task Force (PTF) and Home Department pertaining to the recovery of missing persons.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and comprising Justice KK Agha, heard a set of petitions on Thursday filed by families seeking recovery of missing persons. The bench remarked that the performance of JITs, police, PTF and home department was nil.

The court remarked that families of missing persons continued to suffer but the police always submit stereotypical reports. It is also noted that the court had sought travel history of missing persons from Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) but the FIA officials did not appear before the court.

The court summoned Investigations SSP and the officials of other relevant police stations on May 30.

Report rejected

The same bench rejected a police report on Thursday regarding four missing persons including a head constable of jail police at the hands of a Lyari-based gang leader Uzair Baloch and summoned the provincial home secretary on May 30.

The four persons, including a head constable and his three friends, had reportedly gone missing in 2010 near the Karachi Central Jail.

The petition was filed in 2011 regarding the alleged disappearance of Lala Amin, a head constable of the jail police, and Ghazi Khan, Sher Afzal and Shiraz Khan from the jurisdiction of the New Town police station in 2010.

The police had informed the court that Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch had allegedly killed the four persons after their abduction.

The police submitted a report in the court which said that a letter had been written to the Ministry of Defence for handing over the custody of Uzair Baloch.

The report claimed that all the four missing persons had been allegedly killed by Uzair Baloch and his accomplices. He confessed to this in his confessional statement recorded by a judicial magistrate.



Plea against anti-corruption dept

The SHC ordered the Sindh anti-corruption department chairman to submit a reply with an affidavit over the plea filed by a resident of Thatta against the department.

A two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice (CJ) Ahmed Ali Sheikh and Justice Omar Sial, was hearing the plea on Thursday. The chairman of the department Inamullah Dharejo and others appeared before the court. Dharejo informed the court that 39 inquiries in the department were facing delay. He admitted that the oldest inquiry that is still going on was started in 2001.

The CJ bashed the chairman and remarked, "Will the department complete the inquiry when the accused dies. Where have the numerous corruption cases gone that were transferred to the anti-corruption department. Have all accused been set free after collecting the money?"

The court returned the copy of the reply to the chairman and directed him to submit the reply with an affidavit. The court also sought details of all the delayed inquiries.

Khair Muhammad Jokhio, the petitioner, is a resident of Thatta who was in a conflict with the revenue department and he approached the anti-corruption department but no action was taken against his complaint.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2019.