PM takes notice of PIC incident, seeks report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday took notice of the rampaging of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore by lawyers and sought reports from the Punjab chief secretary and inspector general of police on the incident, which took lives of some patients.

Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the prime minister had taken notice of the incident and had sought a report from the chief secretary as well the last IG Punjab. “Unleashing violence on provincial information minister Fayyazul Hasan Chohan, resorting to ransacking, harassing the patients and their attendants is exceedingly condemnable and unfortunate,” she emphasised.

She said that lawlessness would not be tolerated come what may and that those,wearing ‘law uniform’ would have to respect the law. “Those who took law into their hands and attacked the heart hospital will not be spared and brought before the courts,” she asserted while condemning the lawyers’ action.

Dr Firdous alleged that ‘Gullu Butts’, wearing black coats, had taken the law into their hands and attacked the Punjab Institute of Cardiology.

She charged that Gullu Butts belonging to the PML-N had established monopoly in every institution. She said lawyers were not responsible for the attack, but those black sheep present in their ranks. She called upon the lawyers bodies to distance themselves from such black sheep.

The special assistant claimed that those calling themselves as innocent had a tainted past and each and every penny looted from the nation would be recovered from them.

Referring to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s treatment abroad, she expressed the hope that he would fulfil the objective for which he had obtained bail. She also clarified that the government had not created hurdles in the treatment of any prisoner.

Dr Firdous said Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken notice of the hospital incident, ordered an investigation and sought report within 24 hours.

She added that there would be action against all those responsible. She said directions had been already given to the departments concerned. The special assistant emphasised that the lawyers’ assault on the hospital tantamount to trampling the law under the feet.

Citing the resumption of Test cricket in Pakistan, she said that the tour of Sri Lankan cricket team was proof of restoration of peace and tranquillity in Pakistan for which the security institutions and civil machinery had rendered massive sacrifices over the years. The restoration of peace, she pointed out, was a testimony to the fact that 220 million Pakistanis love peace.