KASUR-Illegal clinics and maternity homes, being run by quacks across the district, have been playing havoc with public health, notwithstanding the government tall claims regarding provision of quality healthcare, it has been learnt.
The report of a survey conducted by The Nation reveals that the semi-literate quacks, ignorant of medical sciences and modern sterilisation methods, have opened clinics and maternity homes in their houses and are looting innocent people with both hands. These self-claimed doctors, lack requisite experience to treat a patient, remain busy checking patients from morning to night.
The businesses of these unregistered practitioners are flourishing because of vigorous marketing and publicity to lure common man without any let or hindrance. Though the health department claims that it is taking every possible step to check this menace, seemingly 'half-hearted' actions are unable to dent confidence of these "traders of disease and deaths."
Poor people, having no awareness regarding precautionary measures for treatment, are the worst victim of these quacks as they can easily be befooled and fleeced. The quacks seem to have been connived with officials and allegedly pay "monthly" to officials of the Health Department to carry out their activities without let or hindrance.
Social and political figures and representatives of trade unions said that there is no check on illegal activities of these quacks. They said that despite the government's tall claims regarding good governance; the malpractice is overtly being carried out across the district. "We also submitted numerous complaints against the malpractice but no one bothered to take notice of the grave situation," they regretted. They demanded the government to take action against these illegal clinics which, they said, are spreading diseases in the society.
Motorists cry foul at
traffic cops 'bribe'
KASUR: The traffic police personnel are allegedly sweeping citizens' pockets in name of checking vehicles' documents here in Kasur city, The Nation has learnt.
A survey conducted by this correspondent reveals that traffic police personnel, performing duty on main city thoroughfares, extort money from citizens. During the survey, motorists travelling on different city roads told that despite having all original documents of their vehicles, 'corrupt' traffic police personnel do not let them go. "We are helpless before the cops and get no other option except paying "hush money" to the personnel to get rid of them," they regretted, adding that their bikes and vehicles are impounded otherwise.
On the other hand, traffic police personnel claimed that they are allegedly given monthly targets to extort money from motorists under the guise of checking vehicles' documents. They said they cannot say "no" to the high-ups and are bound to achieve the targets as they are ordered.
Citizens demanded Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Kasur DPO Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi to take notice of the situation and punish the corrupt officials.