Says non-elected return to offices, not masses, after running govt
\nTLTP
\nLAHORE
\nThe Lahore High Court (LHC) remarked on Thursday that it seems as if Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Petroleum Division Nadeem Babar is running the petroleum ministry and is, therefore, responsible for the recent fuel shortages in the country.
\nThe remark was issued by LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan while hearing a petition regarding fuel shortages in June.
\nThe court had been presented with the minutes of a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan in which the matter was discussed.
\n\u201c[It seems as if] the cabinet takes the decisions and the Prime Minister or ministers are not present,\u201d remarked LHC CJ Qasim while reviewing the record. He also stated whoever made the minutes of the meeting seemed to have done so to \u201cplease\u201d the Prime Minister.
\n\u201cWhat is the significance of such a massive mistake made in the name of the Prime Minister?\u201d wondered the LHC\u2019s top judge.
\nThe LHC CJ also remarked on concerns that the government is being run by non-elected persons. \u201cWhoever is elected has to go to the people \u2014 even if it is a minster, he has to face the people,\u201d said the judge, adding that, in contrast, non-elected people can pack up their bags and return to their offices when all is said and done.
\nThe judge remarked that SAPM Babar had not told the cabinet that there was a shortage of fuel in the country and instead said that the petrol crisis happened \u201cbecause people bought more petrol\u201d.
\n\u201cThe meeting minutes suggest that the responsibility falls on the petroleum ministry,\u201d remarked Justice Qasim. He noted that the ministry, however, says that the responsibility falls on the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA).<\/p>\n
\u201cEither the petroleum minister or OGRA did not do their job properly, or both of them did not,\u201d remarked the LHC\u2019s top judge. He added that since it seems that the SAPM was running the ministry, he ought to be held responsible for the crisis.<\/p>\n
The court after passing the remarks also adjourned the hearing of the case for six weeks.<\/p>\n
Last week, the LHC had directed the government to form a high-level commission to hold an inquiry into the fuel crisis which recently wreaked havoc in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic. The court had asked the attorney general to submit names for the commission in this regard.<\/p>\n
The LHC top judge had remarked if the AG failed to submit the names of suitable candidates, the court would itself recommend the appropriate persons for the commission. TLTP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Says non-elected return to offices, not masses, after running govt TLTP LAHORE The Lahore High Court (LHC) remarked on Thursday that it seems as if Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Petroleum Division Nadeem Babar is running the petroleum ministry and is, therefore, responsible for the recent fuel shortages in the country. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28122,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-132836","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n