justice and accountability should be held across-the-board : Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore  : Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that rule of law should be accepted by all and sundry because supremacy of the constitution and law are portrayal of civilized societies. Whether it’s NAB or any other institution, justice and accountability should be held across-the-board and if it’s not done so then the same may not be termed as justice or accountability. We have saved Rs. 70 billion in orange line metro train project. It is the prerogative of the NAB to dig out corruption but it should also speak up about this nation’s billions of rupees saved by us. NAB may not certify us but it should pay tributes to the people of Punjab who have chosen such a government that has broken the 70 years deadlock and conducted G2G tendering, he added.

Talking to the media men after the inauguration of surgical tower at Mayo Hospital here on Friday, the Chief Minister said that surgical tower contains 16 operation theaters along with a 100-bedded burn unit where patients will be examined through the most modern machine.

Similarly, CT scan, MRI and ultrasound machines are installed in investigative department. I visited this tower few months ago and today, it has been formally inaugurated, he added. A new world of facilities is provided and this can be compared with Aga Khan Hospital. However, a hospital of such standards is not available in the public sector and the efforts of Provincial Minister Kh. Imran Nazir, Secretary Health Najam Shah, chief secretary, VC King Edward Medical University, Dr. Ibrar Ashraf and his team are praiseworthy in this regard. He also announced a prize of Rs. 10 lakh for Dr. Ibrar Ashraf and his team and also recommended medal for him.

Replying to different questions of the media persons, the Chief Minister said that this latest hospital has been established by the Punjab government with its own resources. He said that Imran Niazi made tall claims about improving healthcare facilities in KPK but practically done nothing.

He has ruined the KPK and while no new hospital is built there, the two hospitals working for the last two decades have not been upgraded as well. We have made a wonderful hospital in Swat after floods and modern hospitals have also been established in Punjab having all the latest medical facilities. Multan Kidney Center, Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital Muzaffargarh, PKLI and a latest hospital in Okara are important milestones of our performance, he said. The journey is long but the destination will be achieved by working day and night.

Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said that the company gave the minimum bid of 2.1 billion dollars in orange line metro train project and according to PPRA rules, it should have had been assigned the task but we talked with them and cost of the project was further minimized from 2.1 billion dollars to 1.47 billion dollars. This way, 70 billion rupees were saved, he added. There is no example of such a huge saving by anybody in the national history.

To another question, the Chief Minister said that Imran Niazi leveled allegation against me with regard to Chinese company Yabaite in Multan metro bus project. I request the Chairman NAB to tell the reality of this claim to the nation. If I am accused then I should be barred from the elections. If I am not a criminal then the one who leveled allegation should have to be held accountable, he added.

Provincial ministers, assembly members, administrative secretaries and others attended the ceremony.

Meanwhile ; Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that people will decide in the upcoming elections that who has served them and who remained involve in the politics of deceit. Those who have deceived the masses will be defeated in the elections and my life is meant for public service, he added.

Talking to the assembly members, the Chief Minister said that pivot of our politics is public service and national development. People have been fully served in the Punjab and I shall not retreat from the mission of serving the masses. It is satisfying that public welfare projects have resulted in giving far-reaching impacts.

The outdated health system has been totally transformed in Punjab and now hospitals are working as service-providers to the people. Provision of free medical test facility is a historic initiative and if Allah Almighty given the opportunity to serve further, new hospitals will be set up in other provinces as well. Pakistan Muslim League-N government has introduced record development projects for health, education and agriculture sectors in the province, concluded the Chief Minister.

The assembly members reposed their full confidence over the leadership of PML-N President Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and said that he is a visionary leader who has the abilities to vigorously lead the journey of development. Those who met the Chief Minister included Muhammad Afzal Khokhar MNA, Members of Punjab Assembly including Manazir Hussain Ranjha, Azad Ali Tabassum, Ijaz Shafi and Malik Zulfiqar Dogar.