'Serious situation': IHC tells govt to decide on Pakistani students in China

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Friday remarked that it is the government's responsibility to decide about Pakistani students who are trapped in Wuhan as the 'situation is serious'.

IHC CJ Athar Minallah passed the remarks while hearing a petition filed by the parents of the Pakistani students stuck in Chinese city of Wuhan due to coronavirus outbreak.

During the hearing, the parents told the court that there was a “clear difference” in the stance of the government and the students trapped in China.

“The government is not giving us any answers,” said the parents.

After hearing the parents, IHC CJ remarked that the government should satisfy the parents on the measures they have taken.

Also read: IHC says will not intervene in state policy on evacuation of Pakistanis from Wuhan

“This is a serious situation and the government of Pakistan needs to make a decision on this,” added IHC CJ Athar Minallah.

Earlier in the hearing, an official of the health ministry informed the court that they have set up a committee to provide assistance to the parents.

“Do not tell me about the committee, why is Government of Pakistan irresponsible,” remarked IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah to the health official’s response. He added that all the work cannot be done by the director general of the foreign ministry.

Justice MInallah told the officials present in the court that parents were constantly complaining that the government was not listening to their concerns.

“It is not the responsibility of the foreign ministry to resolve the problem, it is the Federal Cabinet’s responsibility,” remarked the judge.

Also read: Pakistan establishes hotline for stranded students, nationals in China's Wuhan

To this, the additional attorney general interjected saying that they should wait for the cabinet’s decision on the matter. While the foreign office official also told the court that the Chinese government is expcted to release a new report on which the cabinet will make a decision.

IHC also ordered the cabinet secretary, special Assistant for overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari and Special Assistant to PM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza to meet the parents of the students stuck in China and adjourned the hearing till March 6.

Earlier this month, the government had arranged a meeting of the parents with Dr Mirza on the orders of the court, in the meeting the emotionally-charged parents of students stranded in China’s Wuhan city and Hubei province had issued a three-day ultimatum to the government to bring the children back to the country.

Also read: Opposition slams govt for not evacuating Pakistanis stranded in Wuhan

The encounter took place during a briefing held at the OPF Girls College in F-8/2, where Dr Mirza was subjected to scathing criticism as he attempted to apprise parents of the latest situation in China, where the novel Coronavirus is wreaking havoc on human lives.

Absolute mayhem was witnessed in the auditorium, so much so that members of law enforcement agencies had to shield the two advisers from being attacked by anxious parents, who later registered their protest by staging a sit-in on Islamabad’s Kohistan Road, causing traffic snags.