RAWALPINDI, Apr 22 (APP): Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi on Tuesday said that the present government had carried out record development work in the health sector in Punjab.
It is evident from the fact that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had been in power for 17 years have all the way come to the hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad for treatment, he added.
Hanif Abbasi was talking to the media after laying foundation stone of a new OPD Block here at the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC).
He said that the RIC was established 13 years ago, and thousands of people had benefited from the health facility since then.
He said the Out Patient Department Block was being built at a cost of Rs 400 million at the RIC. The project had the full support of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The OPD block after completion would help provide the best health facilities to the people, the minister said. He also thanked the Sadiq Foundation, for providing assistance in the establishment of waiting area at the RIC.
The minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had restored the confidence of the nation by working round the clock for the country’s development.
He said that the PM had decided to give the benefit of reduction in petroleum product prices to Balochistan. The bloody thirsty (dilapidated) road would be reconstructed (from the money saved on that count), which would benefit not only Balochistan but the whole of Pakistan, he added.
The minister said,“We have launched an anti-encroachment campaign in Rawalpindi, inspired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Many important steps have also been taken in Sindh and Balochistan, which are appreciable.”.
“However, when we look at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we do not see any work. What benefits have the people of KP received during the (PTI) government in the last 17 years?” he asked
The minister said that Maryam Nawaz could rightfully be called the “daughter of Rawalpindi” as she had played a significant role in solving the city’s problems since 2016.
He added that kidney and liver transplants were going to start during the current year at the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology, which was good news for the people.
The minister also discussed the security of the country. “It is the duty of all of us to protect the country. Politicians, officers, and journalists must all work together. Whoever does not accept the Federation of Pakistan is not a Pakistani.”
The minister said no one would be allowed do politics at the cost of Pakistan. “We will not allow anyone to harm the federation.”
He said those who had pursued the expatriates not to send remittances to Pakistan had not been heard because “for us all, Pakistan comes first”.
There were positive indicators from international institutions about promising improvement in the national economy, he added.
Hanif Abbasi said the talks with Afghanistan were not started on the behest of the KP chief minister. It was the Federal Government which decided to initiate negotiations with the neighbouring country, and whatever issues there were with Afghanistan were being looked at by Islamabad.
The minister said that a major operation was underway across the country to recover railway land from the occupants.