Interim govt maintained impartiality, says CM

LAHORE: Interim Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari has said that the interim government has maintained impartiality since it took charge and it has fulfilled its promise to hold fair and free elections as it was given the responsibility of this task.

The interim government of Punjab has succeeded in conducting fair and transparent elections with the cooperation of the people. He said all departments played their active role in the holding of transparent, neutral and impartial elections. They discharged their responsibilities as a team and we pay homage to all those who play their role in the holding of fair and transparent elections. He said holding of fair and impartial elections in Punjab was a big challenge and we completed it successfully.

The whole team of the interim government worked with diligence and determination to fulfill its responsibility. He said all political parties were given a level playing field for the fair and transparent elections. He said the people of Pakistan voted with freedom and displayed discipline on the Election Day.

PIMH:: Punjab Chief Secretary Akbar Durrani and Secretary Specialized Healthcare Saqib Zafar visited Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) to review facilities for the patients.

The chief secretary inspected different sections of the institute and asked the patients about quality of facilities being provided to them. During visit to an art section, an under-treatment patient presented gift of his self-prepared painting to the chief secretary. PIMH Executive Director Dr Mudasar Hameed Qureshi briefed that about 1,000 patients are under treatment in the hospital. He said at present the institute is facing acute shortage of doctors and staff. Besides initiating recruitment of staff at the institute a case has also been forwarded to Punjab Public Service Commission for appointments to the posts of grade 17 or above, he added. The chief secretary ordered a 100-bed centre for rehabilitation for drug addicts be made functional at the earliest and recruitment of doctors and staff be completed on priority. He issued instructions for planting more trees in the hospital so that patients could get a clean environment. He checked quality of food and cleanliness in the kitchen. Earlier, the chief secretary visited United Christian Hospital (UCH), Gulberg. He directed Secretary Specialized Healthcare Saqib Zafar to submit a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the UCH. He said the hospital can be helpful in efforts to provide quality healthcare to patients under public-private partnership. He said all possible resources would be utilised for provision of latest medical facilities to people.