Govt must move at cheetah’s speed, not tortoise’s pace: Justice Mandokhail

Supreme Court of Pakistan judge, Justice Jamal Mandokhail has remarked that while the government should be moving at the speed of a cheetah, it is instead proceeding at the pace of a tortoise.

He made the comments during a Supreme Court hearing on the establishment of the Climate Change Authority, Express News reported.

The case, heard by a five-member constitutional bench led by Justice Ameen-ud-Din Khan, focused on the formation of the Climate Change Authority.

Justice Mandokhail emphasised that climate change is a critical issue, and the government must expedite its efforts.

The Additional Attorney General informed the court that a third advertisement had been issued for the appointment of the Authority's chairman.

Justice Mandokhail questioned why the first two advertisements had failed to yield results.

The Additional Attorney General explained that the top candidate’s dual nationality had disqualified him, as per the government’s policy on high-ranking appointments.

Justice Mandokhail suggested that compromises might be necessary in finding the right candidate, adding that the real challenge lies in how the Authority will function in the provinces.

The Additional Attorney General responded that the provinces had already nominated members for the Authority.

Justice Ameen-ud-Din added that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had nominated Faisal Amin, the brother of the provincial Chief Minister, while Balochistan had appointed a university vice-chancellor.

Justice Mandokhail questioned the expertise of the Balochistan appointee, stating that they lacked the relevant experience.

The Additional Attorney General assured that they would contact the provinces to nominate technocrats instead. He also confirmed that the draft rules for the Authority were ready and would be sent to the Ministry of Law for approval.

Justice Mandokhail expressed frustration that despite the law being passed in 2017, the chairman has not been appointed, and the rules have not been finalized. He also questioned the process of appointing heads of environmental agencies in the provinces.

Secretary of Climate Change, Zulfiqar Younis, informed the court that 752 applications had been received in the previous round.

Justice Mandokhail inquired why the other two shortlisted candidates were not considered, to which the Secretary replied that they did not meet the required standards.

The petitioner’s lawyer, Mian Samiuddin, argued that this case is about basic rights and expressed concerns over the difficulty of finding a suitable Pakistani expert. He noted that the Climate Change Authority has remained inactive since 2017.

The court adjourned the hearing for one month.