CJP visits National Hospital, inspects quality of healthcare facilities

LAHORE Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar visited National Hospital here on Sunday and inspected various wards to ascertain the standard of medication there.

The chief justice also checked the quality of equipment and medicines, and reviewed other facilities being provided to patients. He met patients and asked them about the quality of treatment facilities. Most patients expressed their reservations on poor quality of the facilities.

The CJ sought a report from the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) about the plight of patients at the National Hospital Lahore. He also directed the hospital management to provide the best medical facilities to patients and take good care of them.

Later, PHC head Waseem Ajmal told the chief justice at courtroom No 1 that National Hospital’s daily income is more than five million rupees. The CJ said the court would order for forensic audit of the hospital. It is charging Rs50,000 per day for a room, which is even much higher than the rent of a five star hotel.

Had the gold-studded beds been fixed in the room, the CJ questioned and summoned maps and other details of the hospital. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Sunday ordered the arrest of the alleged rapist of a 7-year-old girl from the courtroom and ordered the police to insert provisions of kidnapping and criminal intimidation in the FIR.

One Surraiya Bibi had approached the CJ, stating that rickshaw driver Munawar had raped her minor daughter while taking her to school. She said Faisal Town police had registered a case but the accused had secured a bail.

The CJ directed the police to arrest the accused in the courtroom. Hearing the case about auction of 22 petrol pumps, the CJ directed Lahore Development Authority to seal the stations whose owners were offering resistance.

During the hearing, DG LDA informed the court that they were facing difficulties in auction process as mafia were offering resistance. The CJ said the court order should be implemented in letter and spirit and such filling stations should be sealed before they were put to auction.