SC irked by absence of education secretary

The Supreme Court has expressed displeasure over the absence of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Education Secretary during the hearing of a petition concerning the deplorable state of schools in in the province.

Justice Jamal Mandokhail criticized the absence, saying that the court's orders were being disregarded, which amounted to mocking the judiciary.

He remarked that the secretary could travel from Peshawar within two hours and warned that the court knew how to ensure his presence.

Following a brief adjournment, the hearing resumed, and Justice Jamal Mandokhail noted, "The medical report of the Secretary of Communications has been received. The report was prepared at 11:13 am when we had already left the bench. We will summon a medical board to review this report."

The Additional Advocate General of K-P informed the court that the Secretaries of Education and Finance had reached Hazara Interchange, to which Justice Aminuddin Khan remarked, "All relevant secretaries should appear in person at the next hearing." The case was adjourned until April 9.

The constitutional bench of the Supreme Court summoned all relevant secretaries to appear in person at the next hearing.