–Shehbaz vows to further revolutionise healthcare sector
— Says NAB should carry out ‘transparent accountability’
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday came hard on his political opponents and said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan had devastated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and could not befool the nation through his 100-day agenda.
Terming both Imran Khan and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari as “political jugglers”, Shehbaz said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would continue the journey of public welfare while the negative elements would continue to level allegations and tell lies.
Training guns at his political opponents, Shehbaz maintained that some elements remained engrossed in name-calling, sit-ins and allegation-leveling, while on the other hand, PML-N continued to serve the masses and carry out development work while setting records of public service.
“Our government has set a trend of hard work, honesty and trust while Niazi has set records of falsehood. He did not establish any hospital or even a single educational institution in KP and his claim of generating electricity has also proven to be false,” said the chief minister.
“That is why I say that Punjab is once again on the top and my opponents should pity themselves,” he said and added that people were fed up of the negative elements’ politics of deceit and allegations.
Speaking to media representatives after inaugurating different projects including a hepatitis filter clinic, CT scan facility, incinerator and cardiac block at the revamped DHQ Hospital Okara, Shehbaz said that different steps taken by the Punjab government to improve the health sector were now bearing fruit.
“A new 250-bed hospital will be established in Okara if another opportunity is accorded to serve the people after the upcoming elections,” he said while adding that he had also inaugurated the rehabilitation work of DHQ Hospital Chiniot earlier in the day and several other revamped DHQ hospitals would be inaugurated within the next few days as well.
“The PML-N government has served the ailing humanity with commitment, hard work and passion. A mobile hospital has also been inaugurated in Okara to provide best medical facilities to the people in remote areas,” he said and added that 20 such mobile hospitals were providing necessary healthcare facilities to the people in the remote areas of the province.
“UNDP’s report of May 2018 has also stated that Punjab is ahead of other provinces in health and education sectors and it is praiseworthy. However, our destination is still far ahead as the population of Punjab is increasing and so we have to burn the midnight oil to provide quality healthcare facilities to the people,” said the chief minister. He also said that all the required resources for health and education sectors would be provided if the government continued to work hard.
Replying to the questions of media representatives, the chief minister said the National Accountancy Bureau (NAB) was a constitutional body and digging out corruption was its responsibility. However, he said, accountability should be transparent.
“Those who fulfilled their duties should be appreciated and those who did not should be taken to task. Niazi has devastated KP while Zardari has ruined Sindh. Karachi became a victim of PPP’s maladministration,” said Shehbaz and added that his opponents had usurped hundreds of billions of rupees and they should be held accountable for it.
“The country can be transformed into the Pakistan of Quaid and Iqbal through an indiscriminate process of accountability,” said the chief minister and added that he would request the Supreme Court, NAB and other institutions to make the country stronger by working together.