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Thursday March 28, 2024

Cabinet reshuffle out of question, says CM

By Our Correspondent
May 11, 2019

Brushing aside the rumours of a possible reshuffle in the Sindh cabinet, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said his cabinet is still incomplete and right now the only possibility is of further addition to the cabinet.

The CM stated this on Friday while talking to media persons after inaugurating a paediatric complex at the Indus Hospital, Karachi. He was accompanied on the occasion by Adviser on Information Murtaza Wahab.

To a question, the CM replied that there was no proposal to reshuffle his cabinet. “My cabinet is still incomplete; therefore, reshuffle is out of question, however it can be reshuffled when more ministers are inducted to complete the cabinet,” he said.

Replying to another question about the Sindh governor’s statement regarding the division of Sindh, Shah said it was an unreasonable statement and the governor should not have said it.

The CM said he had not received the order of the Supreme Court in which the task of removal of encroachments from the city was entrusted to him. “I have read the tickers on news channels, let the order come and then I’ll be in a position to comment on it,” he said.

The Sindh Solid Waste Management Authority had been given clear directives to further improve cleanliness and waste disposal work in South and East districts of the city, Shah said. “I am also not satisfied with the sweeping work in Malir, therefore, the contracting firms have been issued notices,” he added.

Talking about price hike of fruits, vegetables and other eatables, the CM said he had activated his divisional administration in this regard, and the commissioners, deputy commissioners and other officers were in the field to check quality of eatables and enforce price control.

“Today is the fourth Roza and within three days, the commissioner has collected Rs6 million as fine from the shopkeepers and stall owners for resorting to artificial price hike,” the CM said. He added that prices had increased due to various other reasons and policies on which he would talk at an appropriate time.

Indus Hospital event

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the paediatric complex at the Indus Hospital, the CM said the hospital had a special place in his heart for its valuable contribution to the health care system in Pakistan.

Shah said: “Fortunately, I’ve been a part of this noble cause since long. I’m happy to see Indus Hospital evolving into a countrywide health care network. I’m delighted to see the state-of-the-art paediatric complex which along with other diseases treats childhood cancer as well. It is one of the leading paediatric oncology centre of the country. I take this opportunity to salute the Indus Hospital’s team for their hard work.”

The CM pledged that he would continue to support the health facility in his personal and official capacity and urge others to do the same. A total of 115 beds at the Indus Hospital are dedicated for paediatric services, which include 85 beds for paediatric oncology patients. As of June 2018, around 9,000 children have been treated for cancer and blood diseases at the hospital.

Dr Abdul Bari Khan, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Indus Health Network (IHN), welcomed the CM at the event attended by the IHN’s board members, executive directors, and faculty members.

In his speech, Dr Khan said the Indus Hospital’s administration valued the CM’s personal commitment to the health facility. He added that the CM took special interest in cooperation between the provincial government and IHN. The Indus Hospital was expanding both its services and infrastructure to cater to the ever-increasing number of patients, the CEO said, adding that he was sure that the provincial government would facilitate them in reaching out to more areas of interior Sindh.

Dr M Shamvil Ashraf highlighted the services provided to children at the Indus Hospital, particularly the childhood cancer patients. He said that it was one of the largest paediatric cancer treatment units in Pakistan and it faced immense pressure in coping up with the influx of patients.

He requested the CM to support the cause of childhood cancer and invest in establishing more cancer treatment units in Sindh.

The Indus Hospital started as a state-of-the-art 150-bed tertiary healthcare facility in 2007 providing quality treatment to every patient free of charge. After widening its scope of work, the hospital turned into the Indus Health Network. The network is focusing on the development and management of various public and private hospitals throughout Pakistan. The network is also carrying out malaria, AIDS and TB outreach programmes in the country.