K-P told to complete rebuilding of quake-hit schools

CJ Gulzar says there will be contempt of court proceedings if report not submitted in given time

ISLAMBAD:

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government to complete construction of all earthquake-affected schools in six months and submit report.

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar heard the suo motu action regarding dilapidated condition of government schools in K-P.

During the course of proceedings, the court also directed the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) chairman to appear in person at the next hearing.

The K-P government lawyer argued that construction of 244 earthquake-affected schools had been completed.

He said that 70 per cent construction of all earthquake-affected schools was completed, adding that the Supreme Court had given time for construction of earthquake-affected schools in K-P in August this year.

He said that construction work in the northern districts of K-P was completely closed due to the winter.

Meanwhile, Justice Ahsan asked the lawyer to give a deadline as to when all the schools would be completed and fully operational. The lawyer pleaded the court to grant two-month time after March 2022 to complete the construction of schools.

Chief Justice Gulzar remarked that if the completion report of construction of schools affected by the earthquake was not submitted after six months, there would be contempt of court proceedings.

The hearing of the case was adjourned for six months.