Imran Khan addressing at the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) announced free emergency treatment in all government hospitals in the province. PHOTO: AGENCIES
Imran Khan on Wednesday admitted his party was a month late in bringing much promised change to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – change which was the cornerstone of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) election campaign.
The party chairman made the admission at the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) where he announced free emergency treatment in all government hospitals in the province. Minister for Health Shaukat Yousafzai had made similar promises on August 5 and August 14.
Flanked by Chief Minister (CM) Pervez Khattak, Yousafzai, Secretary Health Dr Fakhri Alam and LRH Chief Executive Dr Arshad Javed, Imran stated the process of change has started in K-P. Provision of free health facilities to the impoverished is the first step, he claimed, and directed hospital authorities to provide free treatment to every person in the hospital.
The education sector is next in line for ‘change’ as the PTI plans to provide free and uniform education throughout the province. According to Imran, K-P will be a model province which others will follow.
Also speaking on the occasion, Khattak maintained the PTI-led government will eliminate corruption from every department. Surveillance cameras have been installed at police stations to keep a check on the police and ensure everyone in the province gets justice, he added. Not a single corruption case has been reported against PTI leaders, according to Khattak.
Rs1 billion has been released for the provision of medicines and improvement of health care facilities, informed Yousafzai. According to him, this was the first installment of funds and more money would be released based on success rates of hospitals.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2013.
COMMENTS (38)
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What about THOSE who are 30 YEAR LATE
Wow! You keyboard warriors are so brave! By the comments it seems like Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is the only part of Pakistan that is failing! Can I ask all you warriors and critics of Imran Khan, how Nawaz Sharif has done since coming to office? Has the rest of Pakistan become a successful stable country that is self sufficent, free of religious and gender intolerance? A country that is rid of terrorism? No, well if you dont expect Nawaz Sharif to sort out some of the major problems in the country that he has helped create, how can you expect Imran Khan, to turn things round in such a small period of time? The only difference betweem Imran Khan, and Nawaz Sharif, is that Imran Khan, had given himself a deadline and been honest enough to admit that he has not been able to reach that deadline. Can you imagine Nawaz Sharif making that kind of admittion?
The funny thing is that the overwhelming majority of keyboard warriors who are hailing PTI's "great successes" in KPK and dissing dissenters as "haters gonna hate" are most likely seated comfortably in their bedrooms or living rooms in some upper middle-class neighbourhood of Karachi/Lahore/Islamabad/any other major city? Why don't you go live an average life in KPK under PTI's blessed rule if you're so supportive of it?
Public will not be fooled by ET's reporting; PTI's road to a progressive and stable KPK is going smoothly while the opposition parties who have failed to even do this bit what PTI has started are now crying because they know their political future is in big big trouble.
Providing free and quality heathcare to citizens is thousand time better than building bridges. A free advice to Noonese: Set your priorities right first and open your mouth later.
Stop shooting the messenger ! Why blame ET for this piece? It is Imran Khan who admitted that the change that he sought to make is late in coming. This claim is not made by ET.
Elsewhere, the heading goes like: KP hospitals to offer free emergency service.
Removing ET from my bookmarks section
@QB: Your reply to Adnan may have made sense; only that he's arguing something quite different which you haven't addressed at all. Perhaps because you know it would be hard to defend IK on that issue?
I mean: what has IK done to stop killing of the Shia? Or the people in general?
Right, he wants to have a dialogue with the killers; as if they are dying to express their concerns/needs.
IK must realise that if lives of people are not secured, his efforts to create a 'balanced' educational system, the 'mobile' justice, etc. etc. must all be termed extremely naive and utterly useless. And I feel I speak for a majority of people when I say that people would generally want to live first, and then ask for education, justice, etc. But I understand that PTI fans often live in a topsy-turvy world --- I used to be one too.
It's look like kaptan is the CM of kpk instead of khattak. All the gov. announcement come from kaptan. He is should let cm take sine credit not him as a party leader. He should be more punctual for his NA assembly sessions as compare to collecting free salary.
@Salman: Thanks for your reply. People please read without the brackets. This shows that even rivals see the change. hahaha....
@Sabir Cheema: But ET wont do that you see. It has been purchased by corrupt people.......
@Fahad: ET please print only good news for PTI everything else is rigging.
PTI has already delivered. Come and see KPK (on facebook) and read newspapers (PTI Times only). You will see that we are ahead of USA and Europe. Dont listen to all other news channels and newspapers, they all are against CHANGE.
@Faisal C.: I dont think the provincen can form its strategy unkless federal has one in place first as due to impact of FATA etc KP would have to devise one accordingly
In my opinion title should not be this one. It should be something like 'free emergency treatment in KPK Hospitals' as that's more important thing than I.K's CONFESSION (as per ET).
Wait PTI has already delivered. Two MPAs and many political workers are dead in three months. I remember one enthusiastic comments by PTI supporter in Peshawar "PTI aa gai hai, dahashatgardi khatam ho jai gi, mahangai khatam ho jai gi, sub kuch khatam ho jai ga"
PTI and IK waste our precious 90 days in Rigging Campaign. They says its just 3 months have passed... and PTI feel like 3 decades have passed when it comes to PML-N... LOL Khullaaa Tazaaaad
PTI delivered in 100 days is impressive and just think what they will do in next 1700 days. Well done PTI and people of KPK are no more in pain.
Imran Khan failed to fulfill his promises....They are failed to deliver in 90 days...( change in 90 days was Imran's Election slogan)
We don't want a socialist or philanthropist society,job creation and best utilization of indigenous resources is the dire need of hour,spending can never create stable societies but actually destroys intellect.PLEASE stop giving free facilities to masses.STOP IT
IK needs to bring changes in areas that can be felt by the people who voted for PTI. Healthcare is a good place to start. Education will be slower to be implemented and results will take time. General law and order and safety on roads and cleanliness should be the next, will be facilitated if local govt. is put into place.
While I remain a big supporter of IK, I am skeptical about how they are going about their business. More radical changes needed to every facet of how the governing system runs if at all to show that the change is happening. There is no anti-terrorism policy yet formulated which should be the utmost priority of the KP govt.
Take full five years to bring some change in this unfortunate province but admit that 90 day limit was an election slogan.
IK is the best. Keep it up!
For once ET. Put a good headline for PTI. Like. 'KPK government announces free emergency service.' or 'Imran Khan inaugurated the Emergency service'. But it is ET's moto to remain biased towards PTI. No hope.
@Adnan: Adnan baita....please wait...its just 3 months in government. In the mean time ask all other parties what they were doing for the past 2 decades?
@Adnan: haters are going to hate. READ carefully will you. the PROCESS of change has begun. every issue will be tackled categorically. Just chill and let the people do some real work for a change. Also do enlighten me on the policies against shia killing, extortion,drugs and weapon industries by PMLN, MQM or PPP. I tried to google...came up with nothing.
The cry baby with an attitude .pity .
@Adnan: Immaturity at its peak my friend. There are two problems that needs to be solved as they form the foundation of any society in the world i.e population and education. one can build gazillions of roads but you will have shortage .. you can recruit gazillions of policemen but you will have anarchy, weapons, drugs, extortion, lack of healthcare since increasing your capacity has a limit and other constraints but if you control your population which will put less burden on whatever you already have and thus you will be able to provide better job opportunities, healthcare and everything else. PTI's emphasize on universal education is correct but they need to educate people on population control too only then people will stop damaging their own country and only then you will have drug control, no blockages of THAL PARACHINAR Roads due to higher literacy rate and zero sectarianism.
Can a newspaper turn so "Yellow".....ET is worst till date.
@Adnan: When will people like you grow up? If he had done what you say than you would have said when would he provide free treatment etc. KPK government takes a great step and instead of appreciating you start counting other problems. Be patient my friend. I say PTI is off to a great start.
When this dude shall grow up or has he decided to be JI of Naya Pakistan?
Please show something tangible? What have you done against drug, weapon industry, opening of Tal Parachinar Road, your policy on Shia killing, extortion (in Peshawar), etc