LAHORE - President of Pakistan Muslim League-N and Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has termed the public meeting of PTI Chairman Imran Khan “a total failure as it did not match with that held in 2011”.
“It is in routine before the elections that opportunists join hands to promote their interests but those who have passion of public-service do not get scared and face every pressure firmly and resolutely, Shehbaz told his party lawmakers in Islamabad Monday.
According to a handout issued here, the CM said those who have talked about eleven points consisting of education, health and agriculture in Lahore rally should first account for their performance in KPK. He said that Imran Khan has now realized about the public but where was he five years ago? The people will bury the politics of falsehood, lies, deceit, allegations and sit-in once and for all in the elections of 2018.
Separately, in his message on Labour Day, the CM said: “Workers had rendered invaluable sacrifices for their rights in Chicago in May 1886 and added that this day reminds us of their struggle against oppression and tyranny.
The Chief Minister said purpose of celebrating this day is to initiate steps for providing protection to labourers and industrial workers against any exploitation. It is also aimed at speeding up the efforts to ensure the dignity and provision of suitable wages to the working class, he added. He said that the religion of Islam has highlighted the dignity of the workers by terming them as the friend of Allah Almighty. It also gives the lesson of welfare and dignity of the labourers and says that payments of labourers should be paid without any delay. It is sanguine that constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan also provides necessary protection to the rights of the labourers. The Chief Minister said the goal of durable socio-economic development cannot be achieved without giving due status to the working class as their role is pivotal in giving sound foundations to the national economy. The human resource is the backbone of trade and industry. It is the reason that government is giving full attention to improve the lot of working class and solid steps have been taken for welfare of the workers. Under the skills development programme of the Punjab government, thousands of youth have been trained. Along with it, thousands of children of brick-kiln workers have been brought to schools for their education. The workers are fully benefiting from the labour-friendly policies of the Punjab government and a number of programs are underway to provide residential, treatment and quality educational facilities to the workers.
The establishment of quality educational institutions, network of social security hospitals as well as labour colonies is the clear proof of labour-friendly policies of the provincial government, he added. 1st May gives an opportunity to reiterate our commitments for protecting workers’ rights. We have to reaffirm our commitment towards workers’ welfare and help them in struggling for their legitimate rights, concluded the Chief Minister.
Also, CM Shehbaz inaugurated the first state-of-the-art pathology lab at District Headquarters Hospital Layyah.
As much as 436 tests of 43 categories will be conducted in this lab which has been constructed with an amount of Rs. 9.40 crore. He inspected different sections and put up queries about the holding of tests. North Shore Medical Lab of the USA will administer this lab.
Talking on the occasion, Shehbaz Sharif said that Punjab government is setting up pathology labs in 26 DHQ Hospitals in three phases in collaboration with the private sector adding that standard of their tests will not be less than any European Lab. He said that token-fee will be collected to fulfill the claim of providing free treatment to the people and rest of the expenditures will be borne out by the Punjab government. He said that mobile bio-mechanical project has also been started in this hospital for timely repair of different equipments. The Chief Minister handed over the keys of the workshop to the Deputy Commissioner. He also inspected the renovation work of old block of the hospital.
Talking to the media persons, the Chief Minister said that this lab is compatible with any other lab of the world as latest machinery, experts and trained staff is provided here. Through a transparent tendering system, contracts have been awarded for setting up such labs in different districts. Along with Layyah, these labs have been established in Vehari, Jhelum, Chakwal and Khushab as well and a latest system of blood test has been put in place. Earlier, the patients had to move to other cities for such tests but now Punjab government has set up these labs in far-flung areas which have the capacity to conduct one thousand blood tests in an hour. Hundreds of patients are enjoying the facility of blood tests through these labs every day and wonderful arrangements have been made for the patients in these labs.
The Chief Minister also congratulated the people of Layyah and other parts of the province for having the facility of most modern labs near to them. He disclosed that DHQ Hospital Layyah is be upgraded and added that he has been happy to observe neat and clean atmosphere along with availability of best medical facilities. 40 DHQ & THQ Hospitals in the province are being upgraded on the same model, he added. CT Scan machine was inaugurated in this hospital a few months ago and 1500 tests have been conducted through this machine up till now. This round the clock CT Scan facility is provided free of cost. This machine is operated privately and the payments are made by the Punjab government, he added and further said that this system has been put in place in the whole of Punjab. 20 mobile hospitals are doing a wonderful healthcare service in different remote areas of the province, he said. He said that hepatitis has been rapidly spread in the country and therefore, a number of hepatitis filter clinics have been made functional under the institution of PKLI. He said that there was no system in vogue to repair the rundown hospital machinery earlier and therefore, three bio-medical workshops have been established in Lahore, Sargodha and Multan respectively. Meanwhile, nine such mobile workshops have also been procured. These workshops are interconnected through a centralized control system and are fully equipped with trained staff and equipments. The machinery is immediately repaired if it becomes dis-functional. Similarly, a wonderful ambulance system has been introduced for women patients in rural areas. The ambulance reaches to the patient in 30 minutes for providing necessary medical aid and the patient is brought to nearby DHQ or THQ Hospital in case of any complication. This has been done due to hard work of Health Minister Kh. Imran Nazir, Secretary Ali Jan Khan and his whole team, he said.
Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said Imran Khan is a liar who levels baseless allegations. Replying to him is wastage of time and insult of truth. He leveled baseless allegations against me including taking Rs. 27 billion from Javed Sadiq as bribe, offering Rs. 10 billion to him to shut the Panama Case and receiving bribery along with Chinese Company in Multan Metro Bus Project. Replying to him would be an insult to truth, he added. Replying to another question, he said that high quality medicines are being provided in public sector hospital and are equally available to both poor and rich patients. High quality pathological labs are being established across the province and CT Scan machines are also providing service to the patients round the clock, concluded the Chief Minister.