Pakistan Supreme Court orders removal of health advisor to PM over Covid-19

Islamabad, April 13: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday asked the Imran Khan government to remove Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza from his post. Mirza is Pakistan’s focal person in the country’s national efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

While hearing a suo motu case related to the situation arising out of the coronavirus crisis, the court expressed anger over the performance of Mirza in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and ordered the federal government to remove him, The Hindustan Times reported.

A five-member bench of the apex court — headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed — was hearing the case. During the hearing, the chief justice, while expressing anger, said the top court is not satisfied with the performance of Zafar Mirza as health advisor.

In the meantime, the Centre and provinces in Pakistan continue to bicker over how best to tackle the pandemic. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Monday said that he will request Prime Minister Imran Khan to extend the lockdown to limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The chief minister reiterated while speaking to the media, that the only way to defeat the virus was through the combined efforts of the provincial and federal governments. Murad, however, expressed disappointment in the federal government’s earlier remarks of, “provinces can do whatever they want”.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan-supreme-court-orders-removal-of-health-advisor-to-pm-over-covid-19/story-YJedMvX9RzvypWNcauKJ1K.html