The bureaucrats should not be able to manipulate the chief minister so easily, remarked the Chief Justice (CJ) of the Lahore High Court while hearing petitions against the government’s alleged failure to control dengue.
Justice Ijaz Chaudhry made the remark after it was brought to his attention that some government officials had “made” the CM issue a notification to curtail powers of an inquiry committee.
The committee had been tasked with investigation of allegations that the government had purchased substandard mosquito spray for fumigation.
The CJ was hearing two identical petitions one against government authorities for not taking timely measures to control dengue fever and the second for registration of murder cases against the responsible authorities.
The counsel for the petitioner, Muhammad Azhar Siddique, requested that the court unearth the reasons behind curtailing the committee’s mandate.
He also requested the court to issue directions to the committee to hold an investigation into the matter. At this point, the CJ asked Additional Advocate General (AAG), representing the government, to seek instructions from the government in this regard. The AAG sought time till October 24 to do so, which the court allowed.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2011.
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