Imran cabinet is ineffective in Covid-19 fight: Supreme Court
islamabad — Supreme Court Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Monday asked the government to remove Zafar Mirza as state minister of health, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet has become ineffective in the fight against the pandemic.
Hearing a case regarding the government’s response to the coronavirus, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed also questioned the transparency of work done by Mirza and remarked that there were some serious allegations against the team of special assistants to the prime minister, reports The Express Tribune.
“The government has only provided census to the court,” the chief justice said.
He questioned when parliament would legislate on the crisis. “Rest of the countries have passed a law to deal with the emergency. The state has other jobs rather than just holding rallies,” the chief justice said.
“The prime minister’s cabinet has become ineffective. He seems distant from the rest. All the provinces are doing whatever they desire.”
On April 10, the Chief Justice took his first suo motu notice since assuming the charge as the country’s top judge on the situation arising out of the coronavirus crisis and the steps being taken by the federal government to curb its spread, said The Express Tribune report.
Decision on lockdown today
The development came after Justice Gulzar had expressed displeasure over the federal government’s measures to curb the coronavirus spread.
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar has said a decision on the future course of action with regards to the ongoing lockdown will be taken at a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Tuesday (today),
reports The Express Tribune.
Addressing a news conference, Umar said tomorrow’s meeting is of upmost importance.
“All provincial chief ministers will also attend the meeting,” said the minister.
He said a decision on opening of business activities will also be taken in Tuesday’s meeting. “But the business owners and community will have to take responsibility for their workers’ health,” he maintained.
“We can also legislate in this regard… this law will ensure that business owners will pay for health expenses of their workers,” he explained. —