‘Let’s join hands for legislation in public interest’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday said he wanted to take the other parliamentary parties along for legislation in public interest.

He was talking to the Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, who called on him here. Legislation and various measures under consideration for protection of public welfare and public interest came under discussion.

Imran emphasised that the legislature had the most important role to play in protecting and upholding the rights of people under the Constitution and the law. In this regard, he said, the government members would continue to play full role in whatever reforms or amendments were required to the existing laws.

Meanwhile, the prime minister chaired a review meeting on provision of quality health services to the deserving people under the National Health Card Program in Punjab and KP.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Health Dr. Faisal Sultan, Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmeen Rashid, KP Health Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Parliamentary Secretary Dr. Noshin Hamid, secretaries of relevant ministries and departments and senior officers attended the meeting.

Imran was informed that the scope of Health Facility Program had been extended to all the 36 districts of Punjab and so far around 5.1 million families had been registered under the program.

Under the program, each family is being provided with a cover of health facilities up to Rs120,000. Imran was informed that there had been a marked increase in the number of program beneficiaries.

The meeting was informed that this year, 80,389 people had availed themselves of this facility so far. Regarding registration, the meeting was informed that 120,000 families had been registered in the last one and a half months, while so far 235 hospitals had been included in the panel.

He was informed that according to the feedback provided by the program beneficiaries, 97.5% of people had expressed complete satisfaction with the program. The meeting was briefed on progress in the universal coverage of the National Health Card in KhP.

The prime minister said providing quality health care to people, especially the weaker sections of society, was the top priority of the government. He added that provision of health facilities to the poor was not optional but mandatory and directed the Punjab health minister to consider launching Universal Coverage in two major cities of Punjab initially on the lines of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Meanwhile, Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, Balochistan Minister for Education, called on Prime Minister Imran Khan. The overall situation in the province, flood affected areas, including rehabilitation measures in Naseerabad, mega development projects, progress on Skalaji Dam and issues related to the party came under discussion. Referring to the development and prosperity of Balochistan, the prime minister said socio-economic development of Balochistan was one of the top priorities of the federal government. “Every possible step would be taken for the development of backward areas of Balochistan and rehabilitation in the flood affected areas,” he maintained.