No nation can progress through sit-ins: CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday visited the surgical tower of the Mayo Hospital which has been constructed at a cost of one billion and ten crore rupees.

He inspected different sections including operation theaters, latest CT scan machines and burn unit comprising 91 beds. Talking on the occasion, he said revolutionary steps were being taken to improve the health sector. Different medical facilities had been provided to people at their doorsteps. Billions of rupees had been spent on health sector and no dearth of resources would ever happen for bringing improvement in this vital sector. He said CT scan machines were being provided to all district headquarters hospitals in Punjab.

He also inspected the burn centre ward, ICU, treatment room and sterilization room and hypnotherapy and shower room. He appreciated the performance of the Health Department for ensuring timely and qualitative construction of the tower. He said the surgical transplant of amputated organs would be possible. The facilities available in the US and other developed countries would be provided in the Mayo Hospital. Treatment of stomach cancer, TB and digital X-ray would also be done there.

Meanwhile, the CM inaugurated the Punjab International Swimming Complex at the Gaddafi Stadium and inspected its different sections. Talking to players and coaches, he asked them to play best.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, he said an international standard swimming complex had been developed in the provincial metropolis. He hoped the complex would play an important role in promoting the sport of swimming. He said special attention was being given to promotion of sports and Rs 8 billion had been provided for it. A number of sports fields for hockey, cricket and football were being set up in the province. Similarly, gymnasiums had also been set up to encourage the youth towards sports.

He lamented that the menace of squatters had spread everywhere and thousands of acres of land amounting to billions of rupees had been occupied by this mafia in different provinces. There was the need to recover this land to provide sports facilities to the youth.

He said the Punjab government set up the Overseas Pakistanis Commission Punjab to save precious properties of Pakistanis living abroad from the Qabza mafia and this institution provided prompt relief to thousands of expatriates. “Let’s join hands and work collectively for the betterment of the country as no nation can progress through sit-ins, lockdowns and agitations. If you try to disturb the souls of the Quaid and Iqbal through sit-ins and agitation, the nation would foil your nefarious designs. I invite you to examine our development projects. We want to launch such projects in other provinces as well so that people living there could also progress,” he said.

He said players like Akhtar Rasool, Intikhab Alam, Aqib Javed and Zaheer Abbas were present at the ceremony. He announced regularizing 70 employees of the Punjab Sports Board. He also witnessed two swimming competitions and gave prizes.

Sports Minister Jahangir Khanzada and Chairman Steering Committee Sports Sector Development Punjab Hanif Abbasi addressed the ceremony as well.