Lack of hospital hurts Wagah Town residents

LAHORE
The establishment of a tertiary care hospital comes on top of the core issues, which have long been hurting the residents of Wagah Town mainly comprising the suburban and rural areas in this eastern part of Lahore bordering India.
According to rough estimates, the eastern part of Lahore comprising Wagah Town, Aziz Bhatti Town, Shalimar Town and Cantonment areas are accommodating a population of more than 2.5 million, but there was not a single hospital to meet the medical and surgical needs of the people. The nearest hospitals for the population of these areas are located approximately 25 kilometers from each of the three approach roads i.e. the residents of Daroghawala and Manawan and adjoining areas use GT Road to go to Mayo Hospital, the people of Harbanspura, Jallo Morr and other areas use Canal Road to go to Services Hospital and the residents of Bedian, Cantonment and other areas use Walton Road or Defence Road to go to Lahore General Hospital. These eastern parts of the City didn't even have primary or secondary care hospitals to take care of the patients at primary and secondary level to lessen load on the already-burdened Mayo Hospital, Services Hospital and Lahore General Hospital.
The residents of Wagah Town are, however, lucky to have Ghurki Hospital established by Ghurki Trust near Jallo Morr, which was a biggest source to fulfil the medical and surgical needs of the residents of Wagah Town at affordable cost and even free to the poor segments of the area. Besides, Shalimar Hospital, a private hospital, was also coping with the healthcare requirements of people, but it was too expensive for the people to afford. Therefore, the residents of Wagah Town demanded establishment of a tertiary care hospital to meet the healthcare demands of the people of not only Wagah Town, but Aziz Bhatti Town, Shalimar Town and Cantonment areas as well. Besides, the localities of Wagah Town were also in dire need of clean drinking water, sewerage, Sui gas, electricity, repair of the dilapidated roads, constructing new carpeted roads and streets, streetlights, garbage containers, award of proprietary rights to the slum areas residents, etc.
The Wagah Town consists of two National Assembly seats and four Punjab Assembly seats, as Sheikh Rohail Asghar and Sohail Shaukat Butt of PML-N have been elected from two NA seats, while Waheed Gul, Malik Waheed, Rana Tajammal and Ghulam Habib Awan of PML-N have been elected from PA seats.
The major castes that define the voters' trend include Dayal, Ghurki, Butt, Arain, Jutt, Gondal, Rajpoot, Awan, Mayo, Sheikh, Dhilon, etc., which play a major role in final outcome of the local government election in this part of the City.
The Wagah Town, which comprises Union Councils (UCs) from 131-138, 143-144, 174-183, 189-191 and 194, includes areas of Naseerabad, Green Park, Muslimabad, Sirajpura, Mominpura, Daroghawala, Shadipura, Karolwar, Lakhoder, Bao Gujran, Awan Dhaiwala, Atoke Awan, Manawan, Rampur Jageer, Bhaseen, Nathoki, Mihala Kalan, Wagah, Moza Jallo Kher, Barki, Hadyara, Ghond, Ludhar and many more. Each union council comprises four to five wards and contains a voter population of 18,000 to 20,000.
The major parties candidates are contesting on their party symbols i.e. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tiger, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) on Arrow, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Bat and independents on Balti (Bucket).
This area was considered a political citadel of PPP as Khalid Ghurki had served as Town Nazim, while Samina Khalid Ghurki had been elected MNA and remained a federal minister in the PPP's government, but PPP candidates were eliminated by PML-N wave in the general elections of 2013 due to dismal performance of the PPP's government in the centre. However, the PPP candidates may still capitalise on Ghurki Hospital, which is serving the healthcare requirements of the residents of Wagah Town.
However, the main contest is likely to be held between the candidates of PML-N and PTI, which have emerged as main rivals on top seats of Chairman and Vice-Chairman in all Union Councils. However, the candidates of PPP and Jamaat-e-Islami may also be able to win some seats of councillors of wards, although major portion of ward seats of councillors are also likely to go to PML-N and PTI.
The PML-N has suffered dents within its ranks due to differences over ward of party tickets as several disgruntled workers have been contesting as independents. The advantage of these cracks within PML-N may benefit PTI's candidates. However, same is the case with PTI as several workers, who were denied party tickets, opted to contest independently and the vote is likely to be divided again to benefit the rival party candidates.
However, the disgruntled workers, contesting independently, were using names and pictures of their party leaders on their posters, banners, flexes, etc. The candidates are also giving advertisements mainly on cable TV channels, rickshaws and vehicles as well as on small newspapers and city's local channels. The candidates have also established offices and camps within their constituencies to arrange gatherings, holding corner meetings and going door-to-door for canvassing. The election campaign was, however, stopped on Thursday night as local government elections are set to be held on October 31, 2015.