Where is CM Buzdar's input, asks opposition

PML-N grills treasury over PM’s alleged intervention in provincial projects

LAHORE: PML-N lawmaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed grilled health minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid over the lack of input from the Punjab chief minister after the latter detailed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s initiatives for the health sector in Punjab.

During the question-answer session of the Punjab Assembly, neither Rashid nor any other minister was able to answer the questions of the PML-N leader about the initiatives taken by the CM in his independent capacity. “Why are the bills passed by the treasury stopped on the way and unable to reach the governor house?” he further asked.

Malik, in his question, asked the minister about the funds allocated for the construction for buildings and walls of basic health units and rural health centres.

Yasmeen said that in accordance with the prime minister’s initiatives, the government would repair all buildings of BHUs, RHCs and tehsil headquarters, including Kasur. “We will make sure that all work will be completed in this fiscal year,” she further maintained. She added that the budget amount was Rs53,599,000 for the mentioned sectors.

To this, the PML-N MPA replied that he was not at the session to hear about the initiatives of the prime minister and was more concerned about the province and the plans of the chief minister. “Where is the CM if the PM is the one taking the decisions for the province?” he asked. He requested panel chairman Mian Muhammad Shafi, who was presiding over the house, to take serous notice of a minister shedding light on the PM’s initiatives for provincial projects.

The panel chairman retorted by saying that it seemed as if the MPA wanted to spark a debate concerning the federation and the province. To this, the PML-N leader said his question was still not answered and he wanted to bring Shafii up to speed with his observations.

PML-N’s Azma Zahid Bukhari framed a question “on behalf” of Salma Sadia about the lack of doctors being appointed at hospitals.

Health minister Rasheed replied that all arrangements have been completed to advertise for the appointment of technicians, vaccinators and others on 5500 posts through the National Testing Service. She added 10,000 doctors had been recruited on an ad-hoc basis through the public service commission. The minister continued that 2,600 nurses and 550 pharmacists had also been posted for the first time.

However, Azma was not satisfied with the answer and lashed out at Rasheed, saying the health minister had made promises but never delivered. She called Rasheed the “Asad Umar of the health sector”. She reiterated that the minister had vowed to appoint doctors against vacant posts, but only kept changing deadlines. “Why has she claimed false deadlines when she could not meet the targets?” the PML-N MPA asked.

Panel chairman replied to this question by saying that Azma was posing a query to the government rather than health sector.

PML’N’s Malik Ahmed stood up and said Azma was asking a simple question on whether or not Yasmeen is the Asad Umar of the health sector. However, the panel chairman moved on proceedings.

Responding to a question over addicts and differently-abled patients,
the health minister said the government was going to create, for the first time in history, a specific post at DHQs to deal with the addicted patients.

In her reply to a query over creating posts for psychologists to treat addicts at DHQs and other levels, she said a task force has been formed and the government was working on a threepronged strategy related to addiction. She outlined that the first was to prevent the sale of drugs at schools, colleges and universities. The minister said the second was the process of detoxification and the third was rehabilitation.

Talking about some of the challenges, the Rasheed said authorities had advertised for a professor’s post in DG Khan, but not a single application came through. The minister claimed that 96% recruitments had been made at BHUs and the same would spread to the DHQ level.

As items on the agenda finished for the day, the chairman panel adjourned the House will 11am on Wednesday.