KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar on Friday directed the chief secretary, secretaries of food, agriculture and livestock departments and other officials concerned to submit a detailed report about the reported famine-like situation in parts of Tharparkar district.

The chief justice took notice of the situation in Tharparkar on an application of SHC Bar Association that sought punitive and exemplary action against provincial authorities responsible for depriving the people of their fundamental rights to have food and water.

The chief justice converted the SHCBA’s application into a constitutional petition and ordered the provincial government to explain the criteria and mechanism of the supply of wheat and other food items to the areas affected by the drought, including Mithi, Diplo, Islamkot and Nangarparkar.

The application was submitted by SHCBA General Secretary Asim Iqbal who said the situation in the district was grim as the media had reported that hundreds of children had died because of malnutrition.

He said the government had completely failed in taking care of basic needs of citizens and their fundamental rights. “The bar has received letter from its members who requested [the] SHC chief justice to take notice of [the] tragic situation and order punitive action against government functionaries responsible for the drought-caused miseries in Thar,” he added.

The chief justice directed the chief secretary and other officials to inform the court about the measures being taken by them to mitigate the situation caused by drought and negligence of provincial authorities.

He also issued directives for submitting a detailed report on measures being taken against the outbreak of epidemics among humans and livestock in the affected areas.

The National Disaster Management Authority was put on notice and directed to submit a report on measures taken to alleviate miseries arising out of drought.

The chief justice issued a notice to the provincial law officer and put off the hearing to March 14.