ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani took notice on Friday of the death of children in Tharparkar district of Sindh because of malnutrition.

The chief justice was prompted to take notice by a letter written by his predecessor, former chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, which drew his attention to deplorable conditions in Tharparkar and a press report about the death of a number of malnourished children in the famine-hit region.

The area has recently received no rain, except a little drizzle in the beginning of winter. Almost all water reservoirs have dried up and Thar is facing a famine-like situation. Thirty-two children have died of malnutrition.

But the official announcement issued by the Supreme Court office did not mention the letter of the former chief justice. It said that Chief Justice Jillani had taken notice on media reports which said people were facing starvation because of drought in the region and around 100 children had died due to malnutrition and diseases.

The chief justice observed in his order that the situation was a serious violation of Article 9 of the constitution and ordered the chief secretary of Sindh to submit a report to his bench in Islamabad during a hearing on Monday.

The order said an official of the Sindh government, not below the rank of additional secretary, should appear with the report in the court on behalf of the chief secretary.

Justice Chaudhry told Dawn that he had written the letter to the chief justice, requesting him to initiate proceedings under Article 184(3) of the constitution to enforce fundamental rights and protect the lives of people of Tharparkar district.

“The situation amounts to a denial of fundamental rights of Tharparkar people, particularly their security and respectability, under Article 9 and 14 of the constitution,” said Justice Chaudhry.

In a farewell dinner hosted by Chief Justice Jillani on Dec 11, Justice Chaudhry had expressed the resolve to live a meaningful public life after his retirement while remaining among people, labourers and the oppressed.

“It seems that Justice Chaudhry is becoming more visible to public life since this is his second move in three days,” a senior lawyer said, adding that the former chief justice has retired from the high office, but not from public life.

On Wednesday, Justice Chaudhry attended a reference organised by the lawyers of Islamabad to condemn the March 3 terrorist attack on Islamabad district courts in which 11 people, including additional district and sessions judge Rafaqat Ahmed Khan Awan, were killed.