QUETTA: The Supreme Court resumed today the hearing of a suo motu case pertaining to lack of basic amenities such as healthcare, education and potable water in Balochistan province.
Headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, the three-judge bench of the apex court, which also comprised of Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, is hearing the case at the Quetta registry.
During the course of hearing, Secretary Education Noorul Haq Baloch blamed lack of facilities in educational institutions on shortage of funds, saying if funds to the tune of Rs6 billion are provided, they can provide facilities, including toilets and potable water.
The chief justice censured the officials in attendance in the court, saying they haven’t done any paper work, but are just paying lip-service.
Upon this, the secretary said he has prepared data about schools based on the ground realities, but awaited funds to resolve the issues.
A day earlier, Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and Health Minister Abdul Majid Abro appeared before the bench.
The education secretary informed the judges that more than one million children are out of schools in the province, whereas over two million have been enrolled.
The chief justice observed that under Article 25-A of the Constitution, education is the right of every child, and regretted that one million children are out of school in this province alone.
The chief justice asked if the provincial government has devised any policy to ensure provision of education to all children, to which the secretary replied that the government has introduced the Balochistan Education Plan.
Justice Nisar observed that every citizen has a right to education, healthcare and clean drinking water under Article 184 and 199 of the Constitution.
Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo painted a gloomy picture of the availability of water in the province, saying the province has been facing a drought-like situation for three years and that the government has devised a policy for construction of more dams in the province to address the water woes.
Bizenjo said he has recently assumed charge as Balochistan’s chief minister and that he is making earnest efforts to improve the situation in the province.
Justice Nisar directed former chief ministers – Abdul Malik Baloch and Sanaullah Zehri – to appear before the apex court on Tuesday (today) to explain what they have done to provide basic necessities to the people.
