Shahbaz, Gilani agree on democracy

CM congratulates former PM on safe recovery of son

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the residence of former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani on Sunday and congratulated him on the return of his son Ali Haider Gillani.

The two leaders also discussed the current political situation. “Shahbaz Sharif and Yousaf Raza Gillani also discussed the political situation in the backdrop of the Panama Papers issue. Both leaders agreed that the democratic process should continue and differences should be removed through negotiations,” a source who was present at the meeting told The Express Tribune.

Gillani’s sons, Ali Haider Gillani and Abdul Qadir Gillani, were also present. Shahbaz Sharif embraced Ali Haider Gillani and congratulated him.

“Backdoor channels were being used between the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for quite some time. This meeting is the first overt indication that the two parties are ready to talk on the Panama Papers’ issue. It is expected that the PPP will give Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a fair chance to speak in the parliament on Monday and will not create a ruckus,” a PML-N senior leader said.

YDA delegation

The government is ready to meet fair demands of public hospital doctors, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Sunday.

He was talking to a delegation of Young Doctors’ Association (YDA), Punjab, led by Dr Ajmal Chaudhry. The chief minister ordered the formation of a steering committee to review the problems faced by doctors and present its recommendations within a few days.

“There is no shortage of resources for serving ailing humanity and welfare of the masses. The real issue is lack of honesty, hard work and determination,” the CM said. “Doctors have to play their role in serving humanity. Strikes and boycotts should not be a part of this profession. Doctors should never go on strike,” the CM said. The chief minister said that there should be no gulf between senior and junior doctors.

He said that machinery worth billions of rupees had become nonoperational in some public hospitals. “CT scan machines at some hospitals are out of order. The government is conducting an audit of the machinery,” he said.

Shahbaz Sharif said that the government had adopted a centralised system for provision of free medicines to public sector hospitals. The chief minister said that he had visited a number of hospitals, including one in Shahdara. “Not even a paracetamol tablet was available at the Shahdara Hospital. The government has set up a 400-bed hospital in Bahawalpur at the cost of billions of rupees. When I visited the hospital, it was deserted,” he said.

“Turkey, Iran and Malaysia are providing excellent medical facilities to their people, including their rural populations. We have not been able to do the same. All of us are responsible for this failure,” he said.

Earlier, members of the delegation of Young Doctors’ Association and senior doctors presented suggestions regarding medical sector, provision of quality treatment facilities in hospitals, looking after the patients and other matters.

Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Chief Minister’s Adviser on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Parliamentary Secretary for Health Khawaja Imran Nazir, the chief secretary, the Health secretary, KEMU Vice Chancellor Faisal Masood, vice chancellors of medical universities and senior doctors were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2016.