PHC seeks details on PTI govt’s decision on evacuating students from China

Petitioner says some 83 Pakistani students stranded in Wuhan city

PESHAWAR: The government was asked on Tuesday whether it plans to evacuate stranded Pakistan students from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre for the novel coronavirus.

This was directed as a two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), comprising Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Muhammad Nasir Mehfooz, heard a petition calling for the repatriation of stranded students in China.

Petitioner Muzammil Khan argued that at least 83 Pakistani students, who are studying in Wuhan, are currently stranded in the university’s hostel there. The area has been declared a quarantine zone by the Chinese government.

The court was further informed that apart from being confined to their quarters, the students have also been deprived of telephone facilities as well. The petitioner pleaded that none of the stranded students have been diagnosed with the virus.

With other countries having already evacuated their students from Wuhan, the federal government should be directed to make arrangements for bringing back these students.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Additional Advocate General (AAG) Muhammad Atif argued said that he could not say anything in the matter as it did not fall in his domain.

The AAG suggested that the court should seek a response from the federal government on the matter.

At this, Chief Justice Seth remarked that the virus has now spread to Afghanistan and Iran. He went on to issue a notice to the federal government. Further hearings in the case were adjourned until March 16.

Promotion of LRH professor

A PHC bench, led by Justice Lal Jan Khattak, issued contempt notices to senior officials of the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) for their failure to promote an associate professor at the hospital despite court orders to do so. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2020.