ISLAMABAD, Sep 29 (APP):Supreme Court (SC) Wednesday sought details of villages reconstructed by the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) after the 2005 earthquake.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar heard the suo moto notice case regarding dilapidated condition of government schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
During the course of proceedings, the chief justice asked when ERRA was created?
The ERRA chairman responded that ERRA was created on October 24, 2005.
The chief justice asked what had ERRA been doing since its inception? Why 540 schools had not been built since 2005? Where ERRA utilized funds.
The ERRA chairman said he wanted to say something to the court.
Upon this, the chief justice asked him to reply the query he asked.
He said ERRA had done nothing since the 2005 earthquake. He said the ERRA did not work as much as the people did to help the quake victims. The money collected with the intention of going on Hajj was given by the people to help the earthquake victims, he added.
He said the ERRA got Rs 592 billion and asked what did it build with this money? There was an earthquake in 2005 and money came from all over the world and reconstruction work would had been completed in two years, he added.
He said there would be new cities that would set an example on the world map. He asked what was being done with the future of this nation?
The KP advocate general said the provincial government built and activated 148 schools in two months.
The chief justice said schools were being built now and asked what children did during last sixteen years.
He asked how many children had run away? because they were not in school. The buildings that were being built would collapse in six months, he added.
He said the lives of children and teachers were in danger.
Justice Mazhar Alam said terrorists were extorting money from contractors and making threats. Many contractors had left their jobs in Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan and fled, he added.
The KP chief secretary expressed ignorance about the incidents of extortion.
Addressing the chief secretary, Justice Mazhar Alam said it seemed that the commissioner and deputy commissioner did not inform him about this serious issue.
The chief secretary said he would summon a report from the authorities concerned on the issue.
He said the provincial government had launched first polio campaign in North and South Waziristan. No polio case had been reported in Waziristan in over a year, he added.
The court directed ERRA chairman to submit a detailed report on the reconstruction of schools within a month.
The court also directed the KP government to early complete the construction of schools in the quake-hit areas.
The court directed the KP government to deploy security personnel during the construction of schools.
Later, hearing of the case was adjourned for one month.
Follow the PNI Facebook page for the latest news and updates.
