The Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif has said that India and Pakistan would have to develop peaceful relations and promote bilateral relations. He asserted that efforts should continue for the solution of all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, as it was imperative for durable and long-lasting peace in the subcontinent. These views were expressed by the CM at a luncheon hosted in the honour of Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar at Chief Minister’s Secretariat. Besides members of Indian delegation, Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal, PML-N senior leaders Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Muhamamd Mehdi, senior columnist Ata-ul-Haq Qasmi and others were also present on the occasion.
Shahbaz said that war was not the solution to problems, and that they should be resolved via negotiations. He said that during the tenure of former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Indian Prime Minister Atal Bahari Vajpai had come to Lahore and declared at Minar-e-Pakistan that India wholeheartedly accepted Pakistan.
He said that had democratic process continued in Pakistan, many irritants in Indo-Pak relations would have had been removed and solid progress would have had been made towards solution of Kashmir, water and many other issues. He said that instead of indulging in arms race, peoples of India and Pakistan should compete in education, science, art and other fields and resolve their outstanding problems in a peaceful manner. He said that destiny of the region can be changed only if the two countries concentrated on the prosperity of their peoples.
He said that there was a need for promoting mutual contacts at public level between the two countries and believed that realities should be accepted no matter how bitter they were. He asserted that the two countries had fought three wars and millions of lives had been lost but the basic issues were still unresolved.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for replacing the existing oppressive system of social and economic inequalities with a system based on justice and fair play and said that economic and social exploitation would have to be done away with for changing the existing state of affairs.
He said that the revolutionary project of Danish school system had been introduced for the children, who are deprived of even basic education, which would bring about a positive change. He believed that social progress was not possible without removing the disparity between the rich and the poor; therefore, Punjab government was giving special importance to education and other public welfare projects.
SHEIKH ZAYED HOSPITAL VISIT: Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting at Sheikh Zayed Hospital, which reviewed the medical facilities, academic activities, financial and administrative affairs and other matters relating to the hospital. The head of Sheikh Zayed Hospital Dr Zafar Iqbal gave a detailed briefing regarding the hospital. CM while setting up a committee headed by Senator Ishaq Dar directed the committee to submit its recommendations after reviewing the hospital affairs.
Addressing the meeting and talking to journalists the CM said that Punjab government had taken solid steps for the provision of modern health facilities to the masses and medicines worth billions of rupees were being given free of cost to the patients in all hospitals of the province. He said that liver plantation had recently been started in Sheikh Zayed Hospital and Punjab government would extend financial assistance to the poor patients undergoing this surgery. He said that in the wake of 18thamendment Sheikh Zayed Hospital had been devolved to the province and now it was the responsibility of provincial government to run this hospital.
He added that provision of health and education facilities was a public service and it should be above political considerations. He said that doctors and paramedical staff of the hospital should serve the ailing humanity with renewed commitment.
He also visited intensive care unit and liver transplant unit of the hospital and reviewed medical facilities.
DENGUE CONTROL: Punjab CM has said that an effective strategy had been devised to deal with the possible outbreak of dengue and all provincial departments were working in tandem. He said that a cabinet committee had also been formed to work for dengue control, which is assisting in the arrangements being made by various departments for the eradication of dengue.
He said that the people of different sectors who had received training from Sri Lanka and Thailand were imparting their knowledge as master trainers to the people of various districts regarding preventive measures against dengue. He said that on the pattern of Lahore, the model of dengue brigade should be replicated in all districts to control this menace.
