CJP leaves for Balakot to hear earthquake victims fund case

The Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar left for Balakot to inspect the city affected by the cruel earthquake in 2005 and asked all the applicants asking for help to be there.

Hearing case regarding the earthquake victims’ funds, asked Registrar Supreme Court to gather information about a private helicopter to rent and visit Balakot from their own pocket.

Asking questions about the disaster and the aid that flowed in, he inquired the whereabouts of the secretary finance and the total aid that came from abroad and collected at home. He was told by the representative of finance ministry that around $2.89bn came from abroad while they claimed that they did not have the aid collected at home.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar said that according to ERA, funds went to the federal government. He expressed fears that political appointments were made in ERA. He promised to know more about the whole issue and resolve.

The applicant told the court that in the international fund-raising conference, $3.60bn was collected. In 1985, there was Rs. 85bn in the account of ERA, from which Rs. 55bn was transferred to BISP.