DERA MURAD JAMALI: Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel inaugurated the new Court Complex building in Usta Mohammad city of Jaffarabad district on Thursday.

The building has been constructed at a cost of Rs94 million.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Chief Justice Mandokhel said that prime responsibility of the government was to provide basic facilities, including healthcare, water and sanitation, to the common man. Elected representatives, particularly governments, were bound to deliver services to the people, he added.

“According to Article 199 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the judiciary can intervene [in any matter] to secure rights of the citizens of the country,” he said.

Chief Justice Mandokhel said that they (judges) were sitting in the courts to provide justice to the people and ensure that the principle of merit was adhered to in public life. “We will not compromise on justice and merit,” he said and added that no hurdle would be tolerated in the way of justice and merit.

He announced that the old building of the Court Complex would be donated for establishing a school.

The chief justice said that sphere of development activities must be enhanced to provide more facilities to the people.

He expressed concern over the prolonged delay in completion of work on Usta Mohammad Road, saying that he was astounded to know that the road had been under construction for the last 24 years.

Justice Mandokhel instructed the communication and works department of Balochistan to improve its performance and complete all ongoing projects.

He said that illegal pumps installed at canals should be removed and water should be provided to the farmers according to their share. He directed the secretaries of Public Health Engineering and Secretary Education to bring progressive changes in the administrative measures and arrangements in their departments.

Speaking on the occasion, Justice Hashim Khan Kakar said that he saw no visible change in Usta Mohammad even after 24 years as the city was still facing the same issues it had been confronting in the past.

Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, BHC Registrar Rashid Mehmood, Commissioner of Nasirabad division Abid Saleem Qureshi, DIG Shahab Azeem Lehri and a large number of lawyers attended the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2020