There is lack of transparency in govt's measures to curb coronavirus outbreak: CJ

• CJ says Zakat and charity money donated to the government by the people should not be used for office and other expenses.
• Justice Umar Bandial says monitoring of funds should be carried out to know what the provinces are doing with the money.
• The court adjourned hearing of the case for two weeks.

(Karachi) Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed has said that there is lack of transparency in measures taken by the government to counter the coronavirus outbreak.

The chief justice made these observations while hearing a suo motu case regarding government's response to coronavirus crisis.  On the occasion, the report submitted by the federal government on steps taken to tackle the crisis was also reviewed by the Supreme Court.

During the hearing the CJ said, "The federal and provincial governments are spending money for relief purposes but transparency is nowhere to be seen."

Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked that the Zakat and charity money donated to the government by the people is not for the purpose of TA & DA or foreign tours. "Zakat money cannot be used for office and other expenses," he said.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who is also part of the bench, said that the government had provided more than Rs9 billion to provinces to provide relief to the masses. He maintained, "Monitoring of funds should be carried out so we should know what the provinces are doing with the money."

"Monitoring does not affect provincial autonomy. Monitoring is also a form of an audit," Justice Bandial said. Later, the court adjourned hearing of the case for two weeks.

Meanwhile, the court observed that Factories Act should be implemented on industries starting operations. "The SOPs being followed by industries in Sindh should be implemented across the country."

Earlier during proceedings of the case, the Supreme Court questioned the inadequate preventive measures taken by the government to deal with the coronavirus and observed that the epidemic had invaded Pakistan due its incompetence.