ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will hear suo motu on coronavirus for taking appropriate measures by the federal and the provincial governments to contain the spread of the pandemic Wednesday (May 5).

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Mushir Alam, and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel will take up the suo motu.

The Supreme Court, while hearing the suo motu last year on many hearings had emphasised upon the need for a national policy, and asked the federal and provincial governments to formulate a uniform policy to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed has taken suo motu on the spread of the coronavirus in March 2020, and had directed the federal and all the provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan government to take measures in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus in their respective areas.

The Islamabad High Court on April 23, 2021 had turned down a plea for cancellation of O and A Level examinations in view of spread of coronavirus.

It stated that the decision as to what mode should be adopted to assess the students pursuing O and A Level courses is definitely a policy matter.

Due to the pandemic the education system has come to a grinding halt, and there is nothing that seems to work to get it going again smoothly.

For the fourth time in the last one year educational institutions, from Prep to the Post-doctoral level, have suspended face-to-face teaching and instead have introduced online teaching.

The finals exams have also been delayed for a few months.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021