Islamabad: The Chief Justice of Pakistan has remarked during the hearing of the case that we do not want to interfere in government affairs but tell us what is the sin of the poor.
The case related to personal promotion on public development projects was heard by a 3-member bench consisting of Justice Irfan Saadat Khan and Naeem Akhtar Afghan under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, in which the four provincial governments, including the federal government, allowed personal promotion on public projects. Assured not to advertise. The law officers of the four provincial governments, including the federal government, assured to implement the Supreme Court’s decision.
In one of its decisions in 2023, the Supreme Court had decided not to advertise personally on development projects.
During the hearing, the court called for affidavits from the four provincial governments including the federal government. The Chief Justice said that every province is united on the issue of personal publicity. There is no opposition in any province on the issue of personal advertising.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court expressed concern about 80 law officers in Sindh and said that there is a battalion of 80 law officers in Sindh but there is no permanent law officer in Islamabad, on which the provincial law officers said that 18 in Balochistan, 18 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 40 while there are 86 officers in Punjab.
The Chief Justice remarked that Punjab, the largest province in terms of population, has 86 law officers but Sindh has 80. The lawyer of the Punjab government took the position that the number of law officers in the province is being reduced from 86 to 66.
The Chief Justice said that every law officer of Sindh is given a monthly salary of 5 lakh rupees. 4 crore rupees per month goes to the law officers of Sindh only from the pockets of the people of Sindh. We do not get better support from law officers of Sindh in court. Law officers appear via video link but the sound is not good.
The Chief Justice remarked that we do not want to interfere in government affairs, but let us know what the poor people have committed. We want to see democracy strengthened. Why is personal advertising done on public projects? Even the staunchest political opponents are on the same page on the issue of personal promotion over public projects.
Later, the court adjourned the hearing of the case for 2 weeks.
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