Pak SC tells govt to take COVID-19 seriously

Islamabad, June 9 (IANS) With at least two judges contracting the novel coronavirus, the Pakistan Supreme Court has reminded the federal government to take the health emergency seriously and come up with a uniform national legislation.

“This becomes important more so when the passing of the executive orders to deal with the pandemic has trampled and affected the fundamental rights of people,” said an order dictated by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Monday.

“We are also feeling the heat in this court as two judges have tested positive,” observed the Chief Justice while heading the apex court bench that had taken up a suo motu notice of the prevention of coronavirus, reports Dawn news.

Instead of the five-judge bench, the Supreme Court bench hearing the case on Monday comprised only four judges, who were seated at some distance from each other.

About the coronavirus situation in the country, Chief Justice Ahmed observed: “Difficulty is this that no law has been passed despite the fact that we have been emphasising for adopting the law at the national level which should be applicable to the entire country.”

Altering its May 15 direction that shops may not be closed on Saturdays and Sundays owning to the Eid festival, the four-judge bench in its fresh direction allowed the government to make policies in accordance with its strategies to meet the COVID-19 threat, Dawn news reported.

Monday’s development comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has increased to 108,317, with 2,172 deaths.

–IANS

ksk/