SC forms new bench to hear coronavirus suo motu case

SC will hear the case on May 18

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has formed a new five-member judge bench to hear the coronavirus suo motu case. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed will preside over the hearing on May 18.

Notices have been issued to all parties including the attorney general of Pakistan, provincial advocate generals, health secretary and chief secretaries.

The new bench was formed due to non-availability of Justice Ata Bandial and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah. Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood have now become part of the reformed bench.

On April 10, CJP Ahmed took his first suo motu notice since assuming the charge as the country’s top judge on the situation arising out of the coronavirus crisis and the steps being taken by the federal government to curb its spread.

The development came after Justice Ahmed expressed displeasure over the federal government’s measures to curb the coronavirus spread

“The government is just calling in meetings whereas no work is being done on the ground,” he had remarked while hearing a petition filed against the Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict in regard to releasing under trial prisoners (UTPs) in view of Covid-19 fears.

He had also slammed the government’s decision to shut down health facilities for people suffering from ailments other than the global pandemic by closing out-patient departments (OPDs) in all hospitals across the country in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.