LAHORE – Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has ordered the district administration and the police to immediately remove all barriers outside Jati Umra, Governor Hosue, and Hafiz Saeed’s residence until today night.
The orders came as a three-member apex court bench began hearing its suo motu case on several issues of public welfare, including the provision of clean drinking water for which Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz arrived at the court’s Lahore Registry earlier today.
At first, the chief justice took up the issue of security barricades on public property. The court then ordered the authorities to remove the barricades outside Nawaz’s Jati Umra residence, Shehbaz’s Model Town residence, Governor House, Jamia Al Qadsia, Aiwan-e-Iqbal, and other areas.
Officials explained that the barricades have been erected due to security concerns, to which the chief justice remarked, “I have threats too, you should alert your forces”.
He remarked that authorities should not keep the chief minister confined at home, observing that the “CM is an awaami aadmi [man of the people], he should say Shehbaz Sharif is not scared of anyone”.
The court ordered the home department officials to assure the court that the barricades will be removed by tonight.
Latter, CJP also took notice of extrajudicial police encounters in Punjab and ordered the provincial police chief to submit a report in a week on the total encounters conducted in the province.
On Saturday, the three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had summoned Shehbaz after expressing displeasure over a Punjab government report which revealed that 540 million gallons of untreated water was being disposed of in Ravi River, a source of drinking water for the city.