LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday summoned the officials concerned from departments of Punjab Planning and Development and the Housing and Urban Development on a petition questioning wastage of clean water by washing roads and cars.

During the hearing, Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi observed that the matter was of grave importance and required to be decided without delay.

Abdullah Malik of the Civil Society Network had filed the petition pleading that precious water was being wasted by the government and the individuals as well.

Petitioner’s counsel Azhar Siddique pointed out that the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) washed all main roads of the city and watered plants with clean water while vehicles were being washed at private service stations with clean water.

He said huge quantity of clean water being wasted by the government and private persons could be recycled if steps were taken to save it.

Justice Qureshi noted that canal water could be used for watering plants and greenbelts in the city instead of clean water. He vowed that the court would not let the clean water wasted and take the matter to its logical end.

The judge directed the responsible officials from the Planning and Development Department and the Housing and Urban Development Department to appear in person on Sept 17.

The judge also appointed Barrister Sohail Babar as amicus curiae (friend of court) to assist the court on the matter, which would be heard on a day-to-day basis from next hearing.

In a separate hearing, Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry sought a reply from the Faisalabad deputy commissioner on a petition questioning lack of rescue facilities at private swimming pools.

Imran Ali of Faisalabad filed the petition pleading that private swimming pools were rampant in the city but they lacked necessary equipment or rescuers to deal with any emergency situation.

The petitioner pointed out that his young son had died while swimming in the pool of a private housing society due to unavailability of rescue facilities.

He sought a direction for the government to take strict action against the administration of private swimming pools lacking rescue services.

The judge will resume hearing on Monday.

CJP: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar will hear multiple cases of public interest, including suo motu on free of cost extraction of groundwater by bottled water manufacturing companies, at the Lahore registry of the Supreme Court on Saturday (today).

Notices have already been issued to the attorney general of Pakistan, advocate generals of all provinces and the representatives of the companies to appear before a two-judge bench.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan will join the chief justice at the bench.

Other cases include legitimacy of public sector companies working in Punjab and colossal losses incurred by railways.

After the regular cases, the chief justice would personally hear applications moved by citizens to human rights cell of the Supreme Court.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2018