Yes I am more dangerous because . . .

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated the revamped DHQ Hospital Narowal on Friday which has been completed at a cost of Rs 760 million.

The new facilities include emergency block, hepatitis filter clinic, CT-scan machine, important sections added to the 300-bed hospital and mobile health units for Narowal and Sialkot districts.

Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz, addressing Imran Khan, said he could take advantage of the coaching services in every district of Punjab on how to launch development work.

He visited various sections of the hospital and inquired after the health of the patients. He said due to the holistic healthcare reforms, same medicines were provided to the ordinary patients which had been accessible to elite, adding that the ordinary people had equal rights over quality healthcare facilities.

Talking to media afterwards, the chief minister said mega healthcare projects had been completed by the Punjab government for improving the standards of medical facilities.

Shahbaz said that PML-N led Punjab government had given a new hope to the disfranchised segments of the society by setting up quality hospitals in every district of the province.

“Along with the latest facility of PKLI in Lahore, a network of hepatitis filter clinics has been spread across the province to provide free treatment and medicines to the patients,” he added.

The chief minister said, “The opponents call me as Showbaz, alleging that I only construct roads and bridges and have no interest in health and education. Imran Niazi used to claim that they will not develop jangla bus and roads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but instead, health and educational institutions will be developed. But Mr Niazi has failed to set up any quality medical university, state-of-the-art pathology lab, new colleges or hospitals there.”

“I do not understand how opposition parties criticise us. Did Imran Khan make even one new hospital?” the chief minister said. “Mr Niazi! You have destroyed Peshawar,” he remarked.

“Mr Niazi termed me as more dangerous than Nawaz Sharif. Yes, I may be dangerous because I developed hospitals and educational institutions for the benefit of the indigent strata. I also took necessary steps for providing best of the best facilities to the people,” he said.

“Mr Niazi! I have arranged coaching for you in 36 districts of the province. You should come here and we will educate you about setting up new development schemes. I wish Mr Niazi would have had the ability to claim that he would develop Peshawar like Lahore but he has devastated it,” Shahbaz remarked.

During his visit to dialysis centre, a young man presented flowers to him and thanked him and said, “Thank you chief minister! You have made a great hospital where all quality treatment facilities are available.”

Another patient, raising a slogan of Shahbaz Sharif Zindabad, said, “We pray for you by the core of heart as you work for ailing humanity round the clock.”

Shahbaz smiled when an elderly patient asked him that he does to want to leave this hospital but the doctors are discharging him. The chief minister, in his response, read Allama Iqbal’s verse: Aik hi saf main khare ho gay mehmood-o-ayaz, Na koi banda raha na koi banda nawaz.

Talking to media, Shahbaz said Pakistan could leave behind the Modi’s India in every case and by the grace of Allah Almighty it shall definitely move forward, but hard work was required for that.

On this occasion, he recited these verses: Tamanna aabru ki hay agar gulzar-e-hasti main, Tu kanton main uljh kar zindgi karnay ki khu kar lay. Nahin yeh shan-e-khuddari chaman say tor kar tujh ko, Koi dastar main rakh lay koi zaib-e-glu kar lay.

“Pakistan can only gain pride in the comity of nation by following these verses,” he remarked and said: Jab apna qafila azmo yaqeen se niklay ga, Jahan se chahin gay rastaa wahin se nikly ga. Watan ki mati mujhe aeriyan ragarnay de, Mujhe yaqeen hai kay chasma yahi se niklay ga.

At the end, he read his favourite verses: Khoshboo’n ka ik nagar abad hona chahiye, Is nizam-e-zar ko ab barbad hona chahiye. In andhero’n main b manzal tak pohanch sakte hain hum, Jugnoo’n ko rasta to yad hona chahiye.