Staff Reporter:
The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Thursday restrained the provincial government from purchasing of air ambulance and unnecessary usage of the Russian helicopter. A divisional bench of the BHC comprising, Justice Kamran Khan Malakhail and Justice Abdul Hameed Baloch passed this order during the hearing of the petition. A Russia made helicopter was purchased during the last government.
The court directed to issue notices to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to produce logbook of Balochistan government’s aero-planes and helicopters, its usage, fly hours and expenses spent on aero-planes and helicopters. The copy of the order was obtained by the daily Quetta Voice. The court should also be provided details about the passengers and patients facilitated through helicopters and aero-planes.
Senior lawyer, Munir Ahmed Kakar, the counsel for the petitioner argued before the court that a serving assistant commissioner, Wakeel Kakar died due to a shortage of oxygen at Sheikh Zayed Hospital Quetta. On one hand, the government has not been able to provide oxygen and medicines to patients battling the deadly virus, whereas, on the other hand, the chief minister through his Twitter account announced the purchase of air ambulance. Mr. Kakar also informed the court that the finance minister also mentioned this in his budget speech.
The learned advocate general Balochistan, Arbab Muhammad Tahir thus informed the court that it was just a proposal and that the air ambulance was not purchased by the government so far, the order obtained by the daily Quetta Voice mentioned.
The court however restrained the government from purchasing air ambulance and ordered the unnecessary of Balochistan government-owned Russian helicopter in this regard.
The court also ordered the authorities to improve health facilities in district Kech hospital.
