RAWALPINDI, Feb 09 (APP):Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Aamer Mehmood Kiani said that unfortunately, no former government gave priority to the health sector as 0.9 percent of GDP was invested in the healthcare.The Minister said that the issue of mother and child hospital was taken up in the Cabinet meeting which decided to complete the project on special basis.

“The building assessment is done and it is revealed that almost
maximum structure is safe and able for further construction, adding that the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology will be completed soon,” he added.
He was addressing 12th Convocation of Rawalpindi Medical University (RMU) where he distributed gold medals distinction certificates and
degrees among 317 medical graduates here on Saturday.

The Minister said that the incumbent govt was keen to upgrade
the allied hospitals of the city and admitted the lack of facilities being provided to the patients.

The young doctors serving in these hospitals were found in troubles
who were managing the bulge of patients beyond their means whereas the govt will increase their remunerations, he added.

The young doctors were not paid their house job allowances which
made it difficult for the new comers to manage their expanses, after the
Supreme Court orders the Universities would now pay their allowance for one year which was appreciable, the minister remarked.

“We are revamping Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC)
which is not serving the masses up to the mark. A new board of doctors will be formed to look after the Council in befitting way. However, we have also overhauled DRAP to improve the conditions of medicines provided to the patients,” thehealth minister said.

He thanked former Chief Justice Supreme Court Justice Mian Saqib
Nisar for retrieving billions worth encroached land of hospitals in the Federal Capital where new hospitals would be constructed.

He said that former govt were paying Rs 2000 billion interest on
loans per year which was enough to develop the nation and to mitigate the 25 million out of school children ratio.

He said that it had been proposed to impose smoking tax which
was roughly about Rs 30 to Rs 35 billion and would be spent on improving health sector.

He said that health cards issued to poor masses would also help
generate income sources for not only pharmaceuticals rather doctors as well.
“We are going to introduce Insurance for the doctors which will
provide them financial assistance,” he added.

In his welcome address, Vice Chancellor RMU, Prof Dr Muhammad
Umar said that Rawalpindi Medical University was committed to provide excellent education in medicine at par with international standards.
The University was the pioneer public sector medical institution
in Punjab to implement successfully Integrated Modular undergraduate medical curriculum for First Year MBBS class 2017-18 and its university examination had also been conducted on Modular pattern which was exemplary being first in Punjab, he added.

LAHORE, Feb 09 (APP):Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad Saturday said that four new passenger trains were in pipeline and announcement to this effect would soon be made to facilitate those areas where road network was not good.Addressing a press conference after chairing several meetings about the railways here at the PR Headquarters, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate ‘Thal Express’ train on February 12, besides the inauguration of tracking system in trains.
He said that ‘Thal Express’ train would run between Rawalpindi and Multan via Muzafargarh, Layyah, Bhakar, Kundian and Mianwali.
“I will personally monitor the train and track on February 13,” he added.
He saluted the PR workers for their efforts to provide coaches for newly introduced trains.
The minister also informed that a new VVIP train ‘Jinnah Express’ between Lahore and Karachi, would be operative from March 30, whereas another VVIP train ‘Sir Syed Express’ train would also be introduced later.
He said that five major railway stations of the country including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Haiderabad and Rawalpindi would be renovated immediately.
Criticising the previous government, the minister said that former federal minister for planning Ahsan Iqbal wasted Rs 2 billion on the construction of Narowal and Okara like railway stations where income was lower than Rs 600,000 even, whereas not a single penny had been spent at Lahore and Karachi railway stations.
He announced that he would visit Karachi and Lahore on every week while PR’s freight headquarters had been shifted to Karachi.
He vowed that citizens would be able to enjoy world class facilities at railway stations and in trains within 2 to 3 months.
Sheikh Rashid said that divisional superintendents had been given authority to manage their respective divisions matters including land and traveling without tickets.
He said that four freight trains would also be increased in the system and wished that he wanted to increase the number of freight trains from 8 to 20.
He said that a meeting on ML-1 had been scheduled for the next month and the masses would hear a good news about it, adding that a high level cabinet committee had also been constituted in this regard.
He said that ticket dodgers were causing Rs 60 million per week loss to the railways, however, the number of ticket-dodgers had been reduced due to strict policy by the department.
The minister hinted at using helicopter for raids at trains to check ticket-dodgers.
He informed that three railways schools had been shutdown while tenders would be given soon for giving all railways hospitals and schools to the private parties to run.
He said that divisional superintendents had been directed to ensure cleanliness and greenery in their respective areas.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 9 (APP):Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Saturday said opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif should resign as Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman on moral grounds otherwise legal ways would be adopted for the purpose.

Shehbaz was using the PAC as a shield to escape from the corruption cases while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had reservations about his decisions as the PAC head, he said talking to a private news channel.
He said Shehbaz Sharif was involved in mega corruption scams, which were being investigated by the the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), while as the PAC chairman, he was exerting pressure on the anti-corruption watchdog.
He said the way Shehbaz had issued notices to the NAB officials showed that he wanted to save his skin as the PAC chairman. He had even started taking up the irregularities and mega corruption scams pointed out by the audit officials in the projects, which were launched during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz tenure.
He should quit the PAC chairmanship on his own or else he should be ready to face legal proceedings for the purpose, the minister added.
Replying to a question, he said the government and opposition were equally responsible to run the parliament. However, in case of non-cooperation from the opposition, the government could easily run the parliamentary affairs, he added.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 09 (APP):Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari has formally initiated the ‘Pakistan Banao Certificate’ (PBC) promotional campaign from the United Kingdom (UK) urging the overseas Pakistanis to directly participate in the national development by purchasing the newly launched instrument online.

The Warsi Foundation in this regard organized a fundraiser in Bradford on Friday, where the SAPM sensitized the Pakistani diaspora about benefits of the new initiative taken by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for them and the country, a message received here from the UK Saturday said.
Zulfiqar Bukhari attended the event as chief guest on the invitation of Member House of Lords Sayeeda Warsi, who is also an overseas Pakistani.
Speaking on the occasion, Zulfiqar Bukhari said the expatriate Pakistanis, who had been declared as the most valuable asset of the country by the PTI government, had a crucial role to play in converting Pakistan into an economic hub as envisaged by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said the prime minister had assigned him to mobilize the Pakistani community all over the world for making investment in the country..
The SAPM said the certificate was was the first remarkable step of the incumbent government for the expatriates to invest in the country. It was a risk-free instrument of minimum 5,000 US dollar denomination without upper limit having three and five years maturity time with 6.25 and 6.75 per cent annual interest rate respectively, which could be purchased individually.
He said the bond was just one click away as it could be bought via its website by submitting National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis and valid documents.
Citing examples, Bukhari said,“The overseas communities of China and Turkey have played their due role to help flourish their countries’ economies and with your assistance, better opportunities can be created for our upcoming generation.”
He also urged the participants of event to enlighten the Pakistani community here about the advantages of the new investment certificate as their more investment in it would boost Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves.
The SAPM also interacted with the leaders of the Pakistani business community in the UK and heard their concerns for making investments in Pakistan at another event organized by Naz Shah, Member of British Parliament.
Bukhari informed them that the new expat-friendly initiatives were being planned in Pakistan and assured them that ease of doing business would be ensured in the new plans.
“It is time for the Pakistani business community abroad to come forward and utilize their skills and
resources for the development of their home,” he said, pledging that the government would be facilitating them in every domain.
He said the country would be a destination of businessmen from abroad in coming days as the prime minister’s team was working vigorously to attract overseas investors for which a new system of e-visa was being introduced.
At the end of the event, he thanked MP Naz Shah and the participants by saying: “I feel encouraged to see such response from the Pakistani community in the UK, everyone is willing to give, which defines the love that every Pakistani expat has in his or her heart even after being away from their homeland for so many years.”

NANKANA SAHIB/BALLOKI, Feb 9 (APP)::Advisor to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam Saturday said the PTI government had fulfilled two promises including to initiate the accountability of corrupt elements and to make Pakistan green.
He was addressing the launching ceremony of spring tree plantation drive as a part “Plant for Pakistan’ here.

He said the forest department with the support of other departments concerned retrieved 2500 acres land from influential land grabbers. “Today, we have started the campaign ‘Plant for Pakistan’ on the retrieved land,” he said.
The advisor said that operation against encroachments would be launched across the Punjab, and land would be retrieved from squatters where tress would be planted to control environmental pollution. “This is a first step towards ’10 Billion Tree Tsunami’,” he said.
The advisor further said, “We will make Pakistan a green Pakistan under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Addressing the ceremony, PTI MNA Brig (R) Ejaz Ahmad Shah said the PTI government had retrieved 2500 acres land from powerful land grabbers which was a historic step of the incumbent government. He said the land had been retrieved without any resistance.
He said, “We will establish a forest on the land with the help of Prime Minister and provincial departments concerned which would be better from Changa Manga forest.
Brig. Ejaz Shah further said that Baba Guru Nanak University would be established on 50 acres land. He demanded the construction of an underpass from Railway station to Gurdwara Baba Guru Nanak to provide complete security cover to Sikh yatress.
He further said after the construction of the underpass, the security issues of yatrees would be resolved once and for all.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 9 (APP):Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Coordination Nadeem Afzal Chan Saturday said Aleem Khan was not making a hue and cry like Nawaz Sharif while facing the law of the land. He said the resignation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Aleem Khan, Jahangir Khan Tareen and Azam Swati were depicting a real face of democracy and true culture of a political party. It was a basic principle of PTI government that whosoever in public office and facing National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases would resign from his post, he said while talking to a private news channel.

Afzal Chan said Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Shehbaz Sharif should follow the footprints of PTI leaders and should rescue himself from the post as he was also morally bound to do so. Shehbaz was accused in mega corruption cases and facing NAB investigation, he added.
He said the PTI government wanted to make legislation on public interest issues in the Parliament but the Opposition parties were making undue hue and cry just to escape from accountability. He said the government would not surrender before corrupt elements and pursued all ongoing corruption cases till their logical conclusion. He said the government was ready to remove loophole in NAB law (if any) in order to make it more effective and vibrant.
Replying to a question, he said the PTI under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, was against all kind of political victimization and it was evident from the fact that now, there was not a single political prisoner in the country. He further said the government was in the favor of accountability across the board and looters should face the law of land instead of looking for a escape route.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 8 (APP):Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani Friday said different mega projects being executed under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) should be expedited so the people could reap the fruits of development at the earliest.
He was talking to Ambassador of China Yao Jing in a meeting here which was also attended by Balochistan Chief Secretary Dr Muhammad Nazir.