LAHORE, April 10, 2011: The Judicial Flood Inquiry Tribunal headed by Mr. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, (Chairman) along with Mr. Abdul Sattar Shakir (Member) and Mr. Shafqat Masood (Member) has completed its Flood Inquiry Report which has been titled as “A RUDE AWAKENING”. It runs into 475 pages supported by 91 appendices spread over 30594 pages.

The Judicial Flood Inquiry Tribunal commenced its formal proceedings on 14.09.2010. The area under inquiry was the entire portion of River Indus within the Province of Punjab i.e., starting from Jinnah Barrage down to upstream Guddu Barrage and breaches that were required to be investigated including the Left Guide Bund (LGB) at Jinnah Barrage, Right Marginal Bund (RMB) at Taunsa Barrage, Jampur Bund and Fakhar Flood Bund in District Rajanpur.

he Tribunal ensured to provide best possible public access to the flood afftctees so that they can conveniently reach out Tribunal and make their statements. In order to hear the grievances of the flood affectees/public complainants, the Tribunal held hearings in the affected districts and the areas under inquiry. For this purpose, public notices were issued in the national, local and regional newspapers giving a detailed programme of the Tribunal and its visit to the said districts with additional facility of registering their grievances with the concerned learned Civil Judge.

For convenience of the people concerned District & Sessions Judges were directed to nominate Civil Judges of every district, namely, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, D.G. Khan and Rajanpur, to receive the complaints on behalf of Tribunal from the general public. The Tribunal held hearings in Districts Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, D.G. Khan and Rajanpur. The Tribunal also travelled through the above districts inspecting the bunds, examining departmental representatives and granting hearings to the complainants.

In the course of the inquiry the Tribunal examined officers from Irrigation and Power Department, Federal Flood Commission, Pakistan Metrological Department, Flood Relief Commissioner, Home Department, Planning & Development Department, Planning Commission, Health Department, National Disaster Management Authority, (NDMA), 1122 Emergency Service, Environment Protection Department, Pakistan Railways, C & W Department, Livestock and Dairy Development Department, Housing Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department and Industries Department. The Tribunal also recorded the statements of international experts like Mr. John Briscoe from Harward University USA and Mr. Adil Najam of Boston University USA. The Tribunal took almost eight months to conclude this detailed inquiry.

The said Inquiry Report will be officially handed over by Mr. Irfan Saeed, Registrar of the Tribunal to the Secretary, Home Department, Government of the Punjab in open public ceremony held at the Judges’ library, Lahore High Court, Lahore on Monday 11th April, 2011 at 10.30 a.m. sharp.



Courtesy: Pakissan Report