SHC serves notices to Centre, Sindh govt over mask hoarding

Petitioner asks for free distribution of masks amongst citizens to prevent coronavirus

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday issued notices to the Sindh government and health ministry, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and other relevant authorities over a plea pertaining to the coronavirus outbreak, shortage of clinical masks in the city and media coverage following the confirmation of the country's first coronavirus patient.

A bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed, was hearing the petition. "What is the problem? The masks are available in the market,'' the bench inquired, at which the petitioner replied that the prices of masks and medicines had increased exponentially.

The petitioner also sought a public awareness campaign about the disease by the government and other relevant authorities, while asking for free distribution of masks amongst citizens as a prevention measure for the novel coronavirus as well.

Justice Mazhar observed that the provision of clinical masks did not come under the drug regulatory authority's limits, and so the government should control the situation on its own.

The petitioner maintained that the news of coronavirus created a panic among citizens, adding that the shortage of masks also caused chaos in the city.

"Why should the media not broadcast the news [of coronavirus]? After all, it has only been informing [the people] about the extent to which the virus has spread in different countries and how dangerous it is," remarked Justice Mazhar.

The petitioner moved the court to order the media to telecast reformative information, asserting that the disease was not as fatal as the media portrayed it.

The bench adjourned the hearing till March 6.

It was earlier reported that after the first case of coronavirus emerged in Pakistan, surgical masks ran short the market and their prices soared by up to a thousand per cent.

KMC's reply sought

The SHC ordered Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) to submit a reply in two weeks over a plea seeking action against litter dumps, flies and mosquitoes across the city.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Arshad Hussain Khan was hearing the plea.

The petitioner's counsel maintained that the city has turned into a pile of dirt, while the relevant institutions are not performing their duties. He further claimed that citizens were contracting diseases due to the abundance of mosquitoes and flies in the city.

The counsel prayed the court to order the local government institutions to spray insecticide in the city at least once a month.

The KMC has once again sought an extension for the submission of replies.

Unpaid dues

The bench issued notices to the local government secretary, Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) and other relevant authorities over a plea filed by a Chinese company against the Sindh government for non-payment of bills.

The petitioner's counsel informed the court that the Chinese company had been assigned with the task of cleaning and removing garbage from South and East districts under a contract.

He claimed that the provincial government has not made the payments as agreed in the contract since March 2018. The counsel moved the court to order the relevant authorities to clear the arrears.

The court issued notices to local government secretary, SSWMB and other parties and ordered them to submit replies (today) on Tuesday.

Show-cause notices issued

A separate bench, comprising Justice KK Agha and Justice Muhammad Saleem Jessar, issued show-cause notices to former petroleum division secretaries Abid Saeed, Arshad Mirza and Mohammad Jalal Sikander, in a plea pertaining to non-compliance with judicial orders regarding the non-provision of gas to areas near gas fields.

Petroleum division secretary Asad Hayauddin submitted a report stating that there would be a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), where the issue of gas will be discussed.

The court expressed dissatisfaction over the report and issued show-cause notices to the three former petroleum division secretaries for not complying with judicial orders.

The court adjourned the hearing till March 16.

The Supreme Court had ordered the Petroleum Division to provide gas to villages lying within 5 kilometres of a gas field in 2013, in response to a plea filed by a citizen.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2020.