Health secretary given 48 hours to implement court’s orders

LHC takes notice of inefficiency of secretaries for health and the law in implementing the court's order.

LAHORE: Justice Shaikh Azmat Saeed of the Lahore High Court (LHC), on Monday, took notice of the inefficiency of the secretaries for health and the law in implementing a lower court’s order on a petition filed several months ago.

The judge, expressing his displeaseure and said, “Law is not meant to be ridiculed. If the secretaries cannot comply with the court orders, they may as well leave their offices and run shops in the Anarkali Bazaar.”

The petition was filed by Mukhtar Ahmad, who told the court that he had obtained an order from a subordinate court for the medical examination of his mentally retarded sister and her admission to the mental hospital.

He said that the court order was forwarded to the health secretary, who sent it to the law secretary for ‘legal’ opinion on the matter.

The petitioner said that several months had lapsed but the respondents had failed to comply with the court’s orders causing him serious problems.

The LHC had repeatedly summoned the health secretary but he did not appear before the court. On Monday, the Health Department legal advisor appeared in the court and sought more time for the secretary’s appearance.

Justice Saeed turned down the request and directed the health secretary to implement the court’s orders within 48 hours. Otherwise, he said, the secretary would be summoned through the police.

The hearing was adjourned till October 4.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2010.