Lahore: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid rich tribute to humanitarian welfare organisations of Pakistan over providing rescue and relief services in Turkiye and Syria. He stated this while chairing meeting here.

He said that country’s philanthropist organisations have made nation proud over rendering relief service in Turkiye and Syria. He further said that all aid going from Pakistan should be integrated through sending it by NDMA. He said that better provision of relief goods in Syria and Turkiye is possible through NDMA.

He directed authorities concerned to dispatch goods in Turkiye and Syria as per their requirement.

On directives of Prime Minister, sub-committee headed by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has been constituted to exchange information with government institutions and human welfare organisations regarding goods to be dispatched in Turkiye and Syria. Representatives of Edhi, Saylani and Al-Khidmat Foundation, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, PM’s Special Assistant Syed Tariq Fatemi, ambassadors of Pakistan to Turkiye and Syria and other high officials attended, PM Office’s media wing said.  PM observed that relief assistance to these countries should be sent in accordance with requirements of earthquake-affected people and stressed upon ensuring of quality relief goods.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday chaired a meeting to review the facilities for modern and free medical treatment to poor people at Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) here. While talking to the participants of the meeting, the PM said the Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment Programme earlier initiated by PKLI should be immediately handed over to the institute again.

He said the focus should be on reforming the system for free-of-cost treatment to poor people in the PKLI and 50 per cent of patients should be provided free treatment.

He directed that a fund should be instituted for the free-of-cost treatment of needy patients and an amount should be allocated for this purpose. The chairman Board of Governors of PKLI Dr Saeed Akhtar briefed the prime minister about the performance of the institute. It was told that work was being done to enhance the capacity of PKLI for carrying out complicated surgeries. At present 41 per cent of the patients were being treated free treatment and more than 95 per cent of the patients were treated successfully.

Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Secretary Health Punjab Ahmed Javed Qazi, Mujeeeb ur Rehman Shami and others attended the meeting.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 20 2023

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