ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned suo moto hearing on non-construction of the school buildings. Earthquake damaged the buildings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in October 2005.
The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed summoned reports over the reconstruction of school buildings. He summoned reports from the chairman Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA) and the Chief Secretary KP within one month.
The court adjourned further hearing of the case for one month.
Earlier, Justice Gulzar Ahmed questioned the performance of the ERRA with the chairman of the authority who appeared before the court in the hearing.
“When the ERRA was constituted,” the CJP asked Chairman ERRA. “It was constituted on October 24, 2005,” the authority’s head replied. “What has the ERRA worked out since its constitution,” the chief justice asked. “Why 540 school buildings damaged in the earthquake, not yet completed,” the top judge questioned. “Where the Erra spent the funds,” the chief justice further asked from the chairman ERRA.
“I want to say something to the court,” the chairman of the authority replied. “Answer the question asked by the court,” the chief justice said.
The 2005 Kashmir earthquake was of 7.6 magnitude in Kashmir. It centred near Muzaffarabad. The earthquake also wreaked havoc in nearby Balakot and other areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Huge devastation took place also including losses of life and destruction of buildings.