KARACHI: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday restrained the Sindh government from purchasing a new helicopter worth 1.6 billion rupees, DawnNews reported.

The provincial cabinet had on December 12 decided to purchase a $15.95 million helicopter from an Italian company for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to carry out relief work.

Following the decision, a petition was filed on Friday in the Supreme Court's Karachi registry by Mahmood Akhtar Naqvi saying the Sindh government already owned two helicopters and there was no rationale under which another one should be purchased.

The plea added children were dying in Thar, whereas the government was wasting away money on buying helicopters it did not appear to be in need of when it comes to dispensing its duties.

The court issued the stay order and also sought details of the purchase deal relating to the Rs 1.6 billion helicopter.

The government of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has been under continual criticism over conditions in the drought-hit district of Thar which has seen the deaths of 311 children under five years of age between December 2013 and November this year.