LAHORE – The Punjab paramedics after successful negotiations with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday called off one-month long strike.
The announcement was made after a representative delegation of paramedics held conclusive talks with the chief minister at his tent office in Minar-e-Pakistan. Shahbaz Sharif gave a sympathetic hearing to the problems of paramedical staff. He gave approval to a monthly risk allowance of Rs1,500 to paramedics from grade 1 to 4. He also agreed to regularise the service of employees working at teaching hospitals and autonomous medical institutions under board of management. He directed the secretary health to devise a strategy within three weeks for improving the service structure of paramedics from grade 5 to 17.
Talking to the delegation, the chief minister said that government was fully aware of the problems of paramedics and solid measures were being taken for their solution. He said that Punjab government had taken concrete measures for the welfare and betterment of labourers and the common man and minimum wage of labourer has been fixed at Rs9,000.
“The Punjab government has also taken revolutionary decision of allocation of 10 per cent seats for deserving but talented students in universities and educational institutions charging monthly fees of Rs 5,000”, the chief minister added.
He said this step would provide an opportunity to talented children of poor families to study in prestigious educational institutions which would bring a positive social change in the society. He further said paramedics were performing the sacred duty of service to ailing humanity and they should utilise their energies to provide best treatment facilities to the patients.
Special Assistant on Health Khawaja Salman Rafiq, MPA Hafiz Mian Nauman, Secretary Health, Special Secretary Health and senior officers of Health Department were also present.
The delegation of Paramedics Alliance headed by Malik Munir Ahmed also comprised Arshad Butt, Malik Yousaf, Najeeb-ur-Rehman, Ashraf Khokhar, Anees-ur-Rehman, Yousaf Billa, Akbar Javaid and A D Kanwal.
Also, Shahbaz Sharif directed all provincial departments to complete their preparations for meeting the challenge of rainy season. He said the process of desilting of drains and rainwater channels should be monitored closely and its third party technical audit should also be conducted so as to maintain transparency. Addressing a meeting at Minar-e-Pakistan on Sunday, the chief minister said development agencies should perform their responsibilities actively so as to save the people from the losses in monsoon season.  He said assembly members should supervise protective arrangements against monsoon in their respective areas.
He said special attention should be paid to low-lying areas and besides desilting of drains it should also be ensured that the silt is not dropped on roads.
Earlier the LDA director general gave a briefing on protective arrangements against monsoon. Assembly Members Mian Margoob Ahmed, Bilal Yaseen, Malik Riaz Ahmed, Hafiz Mian Nauman, Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed, Chaudhry Shahbaz Ahmed, Ramzan Saddique Bhatti, provincial secretaries, Lahore commissioner and district coordination officer, LDA director general, WASA managing director and other senior officers were present on the occasion.