ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has summoned the final report from the Centre and the provinces on July 17 on the practical steps taken for the provision of flour to poor persons at subsidised rates.
Heading the bench, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja remarked during the flour subsidy case the government should tell when the day will come when no poor will sleep hungry.He remarked “It seems as if we are measuring water. The court does not need empty consolations but it should be told about the practical steps. Officers should shun officialdom and adopt the norms of serving the common man. Extreme obsession is also needed along with sanity for addressing the problems facing the poor segments of the society.”
He remarked. “Running the government is the job of elected representatives of people. But getting articles 9, 14 and 38 implemented is our obligation. Nine months have passed but no workable solution is becoming visible in this respect. We will not allow the poor to die of hunger despite an abundant supply of wheat grains.”
Additional Attorney General (AAG) Attiq Shah and law officers of the provinces appeared in the court. Justice Khawaja remarked, “For how long this job will be done in the provinces? We want low priced atta is distributed among the poor and its monitoring is done. We have come tosuch stage where we don’t want empty consolations. We want work, not the committees.”
AAG Attique Shah said the government is working out how atta will reach the poor. This is issue of over 67 percent population of the country, he added. Justice Khawaja remarked, “We have vast experience of judicial review as we have been doing it for the last 40 years. We will conduct judicial review when the things come before us. You all please sit together and resolve this matter. It was told by Punjab that chief minister is on the visit to China and he has however directed the concerned authorities to gear up all efforts. Tell us outline of the solution at least.”
The authorities concerned said it is being considered to use Watan card for this purpose. Justice Khawaja remarked, “There should be online system. Don’t tell more about subsidy. Tell us about proposals. Running the government is your job.”
He said the whole exercise will be of no use if deserving people don’t benefit from it. He said in his remarks that the case hearing has been ongoing since October 2013 but no steps are being taken.
He ordered all four provinces to come up with a joint solution.He said that he is aware there are difficulties, adding that the solutions to those difficulties are also available.
No comments:
Post a Comment