The Supreme Court on Tuesday disposed of a review petition pertaining to hospital waste disposal with directives to the petitioner to approach relevant authorities and forums to get the issue resolved.
Former Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice on an application of the disposal of hospital waste and ordered Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for inquiry into a contract awarded to a private company for burning hazardous waste of public hospitals in Lahore and Kasur.
The court was informed that a private company was awarded a contract for disposal and burning of hospital waste. The court expressed concern over the transparency of the award of the contract and decided to get it investigated. Raja Asghar, director of a private company, filed the review petition in the Supreme Court. The court had ordered that government hospitals should establish their own installation plants for burning of hazardous hospital waste.
A citizen also filed an application in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against the petitioner over the matter of burning of hospital waste.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Munib Akhtar heard the review petition case. During the course of proceedings, Justice Azmat Saeed inquired about the review petitioner in the case.
The counsel for the petitioner said Raja Asghar is a petitioner in the case and said his client was not heard on the day when the apex court issued its verdict. He said final orders were also issued after the interim orders.
The Chief Justice said the court had not issued final order and summoned a report in the case in two weeks. The counsel said order was issued on January 17. Pleading the court to hear his arguments, he said the NAB case was a matter of inquiry as an inquiry officer was appointed and inquiry is under process.
He said the court had asked the NAB to file a reference against his client. He said the NAB prepared the report itself instead of visiting the site with experts. He asked the court to issue directions to the NAB to act according to the law. The Chief Justice said that it is mentioned in the order that NAB will act according to the law. The court then directed the petitioner to approach relevant forum and disposed of the matter.