A day after Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed took his first suo motu notice on the coronavirus situation in the country, the federal government on Saturday submitted its reply to the Supreme Court, explaining the measures taken by the state to stem the spread of infection so far, a private TV channel reported. In response to the CJP’s reservations, the government assured the top court that authorities are taking all possible measures to curtail the rapid spread of the virus in the country. “As a preventive measure, 83 thermal scanners have so far been installed at various locations. Moreover, special counters have been set up to facilitate travelers and detect suspected coronavirus patients at all international airports,” the top court was informed. “In line with other initiatives taken by the state to tackle the crisis, surveillance on Taftan, Chaman and Torkham border crossings has been tightened and quarantine centres for suspected patients have been established in 154 districts across country,” the reply maintained.
A hearing in the matter by a five-member larger bench will resume on April 13 (tomorrow).
On Friday, the chief justice had sent notices to the attorney general and additional attorney general of Pakistan as well as AGs of all four provinces and Gilgit Baltistan. Secretaries of interior and health have also been served with notices along with chief secretaries of all four provinces as well as GB. The CJP had asked the respondents to provide details of what measures the government has taken so far to contain the spread of the virus and what facilities have been provided at the hospitals.
On April 1, the same five-member bench headed by the chief justice and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed had also heard the matter of the release of under-trial prisoners amid coronavirus outbreak. In the final verdict, the Supreme Court had then ordered over 500 prisoners – temporarily released to slow the spread of coronavirus – to be re-arrested, as it overturned the high courts’ judgments. An exception was, however, made in the case of prisoners accused of minor crimes.
