LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday restrained all public universities from awarding affiliation to law colleges till further orders, and constituted commissions for each province to inspect standard of the institutions and education imparted by them.

The CJP was hearing a petition of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) about standard of legal education in the country and establishment of inferior private law colleges. Justice Ijazul Ahsan joined him on the two-judge bench at the Lahore registry.

Senior lawyers Anwar Kamal and Hamid Khan assisted the court on the matter besides PBC Vice Chairman Ahsan Bhoon and its legal education committee head Azam Nazir Tarar. Vice chancellors of universities in Punjab also appeared before the court.

At the outset of the hearing, the bench regretted that the standard of legal education had been declining gradually in the country as “every Tom, Dick and Harry” was becoming part of the bar unchecked.

Justice Ahsan observed that around the world the brightest students went for legal education but in Pakistan students with lowest intellect joined the profession.

Sharing his feelings with the senior lawyers, CJP Nisar said implementation of the ‘one-bag, one-uniform’ policy across the country was his foremost dream. He also expressed annoyance over the mushroom growth of private universities and said the court would shut down the varsities if irregularities were found in their establishment. He also expressed dismay over unavailability of regular vice chancellors at public sector universities, including Punjab University.

On the court’s call, Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed appeared and stated that search committees had been duly established for the appointment of VCs. He said the process for appointment of PU’s VC would be completed in two weeks.

CJP Nisar directed the chief secretary to apprise the court in writing about the vacant posts of VCs in the province. He also ordered all universities and the law colleges affiliated with them to submit complete record of their faculty along with affidavits within 10 days.

CJP Nisar formed a think tank headed by Hamid Khan and Tarar to furnish recommendations for an overhaul of the legal education structure and to monitor law commissions made for all four provinces. The think tank would submit a report within three weeks. The CJP also summoned record of all cases pending before various high courts regarding law colleges.

MEDICAL COLLEGES: The apex court summoned the income tax commissioner along with record of tax returns filed by private medical and dental colleges in Lahore.

Earlier, Advocate Ayesha Hamid, head of a court commission, submitted reports regarding inspection of medical and dental colleges.

CJP Nisar ordered the court office to hand over the report to Advocate Munawarul Salam, counsel for Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions (PAMI) and Lahore Medical and Dental College, for their response. He also directed ad hoc committee of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council to submit its opinion on the reports.

The PAMI also submitted reports on behalf of Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad; HBS Medical and Dental College, Islamabad; and Islamabad Medical and Dental College about their admissions. The remaining medical colleges had been directed to do the needful within a week.

About hospitals’ waste, Advocate Hamid said there were some discrepancies in the report submitted by Environment Protection Agency (EPA) regarding incinerators installed at public sector hospitals for waste disposal.

At this, CJP Nisar reprimanded Environment Secretary retired Capt Saif Anjum and questioned his overall performance citing increasing air pollution in the city. Referring to approvals issued to Orange Line Metro Train project by the EPA, he observed that the agency had become a personal servant of the government and was ignoring its responsibilities.

Expressing disappointment over the performance of the environment secretary, the CJP warned him of removal from office if he failed to satisfy the court on next hearing. He ordered the secretary to measure air quality index from six different points in the city and submit a report.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah told the court that the process of installation of state-of-the-art multifunctional incinerator plants was under way.

MARRIAGE HALLS: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) told the Supreme Court that notices had been issued to all marriage halls/marquees highlighting violations.

Senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan appeared before the court and said LDA rules provided that the minimum area for a marriage hall must not be less than four kanal and eight kanal for marquees, which was highly unreasonable.

He said there were certain areas in Lahore where there was not enough space due to heavy urbanisation making it impossible to acquire four kanal for a marriage hall. The court directed LDA director general to file a report on this by next hearing.

WATER: The Supreme Court also ordered the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) not to de-seal without its permission the 24 water filtration plants sealed for not meeting minimum quality standards.

Earlier, PFA Director General Noorul Amin Mengal submitted a report before the court and said about 150 random samples were collected from various companies of bottled water and sent to PCSIR, and results of 24 showed they were unfit for human consumption. He said these filtration plants were sealed consequently.

The chief secretary also submitted a report and admitted that most of the sewage of Lahore was flowing into the Ravi river without treatment. He said six treatment plants would be installed at various locations and work on them was under way.

CJP Nisar directed the chief secretary to give a comprehensive presentation to the court on Punjab Saaf Pani Project on the next hearing.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2018