State of affairs shows governance situation in province in general and in Quetta city in particular has totally been held in limbo

Division bench of Balochistan High Court observes:

QUETTA (6 AM Report): The Balochistan High Court (BHC) has remarks that whosoever high, every institution is meant for citizens of Pakistan and all properties belong to the people of country.

The Court observed that the state of affairs shows that the governance situation in the province in general and in Quetta city in particular has totally been held in limbo, without any proper response to the court’s orders.

Thus, under the circumstances, we are left with no option, but to issue notice to the Chief Secretary Balochistan to appear in person on the next date of hearing.

These remarks were given by the division bench of High Court comprising Mr. Justice Kamran Khan Mulakhail and Mr. Justice Iqbal Ahmed Kasi during hearing of a constitutional petition of Ms. Jalila Haider here.

The court directed to the Chief Secretary to call a meeting of concerned QDA and QMC officials along with the Secretary Local Government in respect of plot under Zarghoon road bridge in the light of directions passed by the Supreme Court, and he shall also convene a meeting with the Secretary Transport department, Chairman Provincial Transport Authority and DG Traffic Engineering Bureau to device a mechanism for compliance of the court’s orders regarding Traffic Engineering Bureau and, Traffic management to consider and redesign the local buses routes and work out on a possibility of shuttle service for mid-city business district.

The court also directed to the Chief Secretary to immediately convene a meeting with officials of 12 Corps and cantonment board Quetta to work out on a possibility and device a mechanism for establishment of bus stop near or around Koyla Phatak.

The issue of parking plaza on circular road as earlier directed by the court to the commission Quetta shall also be resolved and comprehensive report in the light of these directions shall be submitted through signatures of the Chief Secretary with his appearance in person, the court ordered.

The court was dismayed that despite repeated directions of the court in respect of public interest litigation, not a single progress has been shown with regard to traffic management, redesigning of local buses routes and, similarly, the other directions time to time issued by the court, particularly with regard to regulate the local buses routes coming from suburbs of Quetta city and the rickshaws being plied without permits as well as to ensure the establishment of local buses stop beyond Koyla phatak and Sariab phatak.

At one point, the court remarked that it appears that the concerned officials are not ready to respond the courts’ orders and on each date of hearing are coming forward with lame excuses. Thus, it clearly transpired that the concerned officials are liable to be prosecuted under the contempt of court proceedings.

Moreover, the court also issued notice to the Director Soldier Welfare Organization Quetta to appear in-person and explain the position that why the land around the Koyla phatak can not be given to the province or district administration for establishing a bus stop for facilitating and welfare of citizens of Quetta city.