Balochistan High Court Orders Action Against Health Officials for Contempt of Court Over Strike
Quetta:The **Balochistan High Court** has taken a stern stance against officials of the **Grand Health Alliance (GHA)** for defying court orders related to the ongoing strike in the province’s government hospitals. During a hearing, a two-member bench comprising **Justice Mohammad Kamran Khan Malakhel** and **Justice Shaukat Ali Rakhshani** instructed the **Additional Secretary of Health** to provide, within 24 hours, the details of GHA leaders who failed to end their strike despite the court’s directive.
The court emphasized that if the officials continued to ignore the order and failed to present themselves, **bailable arrest warrants** would be issued, and they would be arrested and brought before the court. The bench also stated that failure to comply with court orders would result in contempt of court proceedings against the responsible officials.
During the proceedings, the **Additional Secretary of Health** revealed that **Rs 633,232,712** had been wrongly transferred to **PGMI** (Post Graduate Medical Institute), while funds for **House Officers** (HOs) amounting to **Rs 187,689,365** should have been allocated to the **Bolan Medical Complex**. PGMI officials, however, maintained that payments to the trainees would be made once their documentation was completed.
The court expressed disappointment that officials from both PGMI and BMC were obstructing the release of monthly stipends to **PGMI trainees** and **BMC house officers**, despite clear court orders. The bench further directed the **Additional Secretary of Health** to personally oversee the processing of these payments and ensure there were no delays.
Furthermore, the court noted that the **health workers’ strike** had led to the **postponement of the Polio campaign**, a significant public health concern. The court questioned the inaction of the health department officials and warned that failure to comply with the court’s order would lead to **contempt proceedings**.
The **Additional Advocate General** informed the court that despite multiple notices, the **Grand Health Alliance** officials had neither ended their strike nor appeared in court. The bench stressed that this behavior demonstrated a lack of accountability and disregard for the judicial system.
The court postponed the case until **December 30, 2024**, urging health officials to fully comply with the orders, or face stricter legal consequences.
**Outcome**: This ruling is expected to have significant implications for the **health sector’s governance** in the province and will hold authorities accountable for ensuring adherence to court orders, safeguarding the rights of medical staff, and prioritizing public health initiatives.
