CHINIOT: The absence of three PML-N parliamentarians – two MNAs and an MPA – from the district, during the Punjab chief minister’s visit here on Tuesday, caused embarrassment to the ruling party.

The absence of the ruling party lawmakers from the stage during the chief minister’s address to party workers was all the more shocking for the PML-N because its candidates had won all the national and provincial assemblies seats in the district in 2013 elections.

Shahbaz Sharif, who is also PML-N president, must have felt very lonely on the stage initially where chairs of the MPAs, Maulana Rehmat Ullah, Mehr Imtiaz Lali and Mehr Saqlain Anwer Sipra, besides those of MNAs Mehr Ghulam Muhammad Lali and Qaisar Ahmad Sheikh were vacant.

However, the chief minister got some company later when MPAs Maulana Ilyas Chinioti, Mr Sipra and Maulana Rehmat Ullah arrived there after some delay. Municipal Committee chairman Mehr Khalid and Zila Council chairman Saqlain Sajanka were later invited to stage to fill the vacant seats.

The absent lawmakers also stayed away from the chief minister’s visit to the district headquarters hospital. Only MPA Ilyas Chinioti accompanied the chief minister during the visit.

According to sources, the parliamentarians by not attending the events arranged for the CM showed their annoyance over denial of funds by the Punjab government for mega projects in Chiniot like the dual carriage way project and construction of the district complex etc.

The sources said some of these lawmakers were also in contact with the opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, for tickets for the upcoming polls.

Meanwhile, the chief minister inaugurated a hepatitis filter clinic, an incinerator and other projects in the revamped district headquarters hospital here.

He inspected different sections of the facility and showed keen interest in incinerator project.

Talking on the occasion, the chief minister said incinerator installed at a cost of Rs25 million would help control spread of diseases in the hospital. He also went to hepatitis filter clinic and examined its working.

He also inspected modernisation work and visited the OPD, indoor block, emergency ward and operation theaters of the hospital. He said Chiniot-Faisalabad road project had been planned with an estimated cost of Rs2 billion and it would be complete in six months.

Health Minister Khwaja Imran Nazir, Secretary Ali Jan Khan and others were also present.

OKARA: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said there is just a difference of opinion between him and PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif and that was part of democracy.

He said this while answering a media query during his speech at a public gathering here on lawns of the district headquarters hospital after inaugurating the 50-bed emergency ward worth Rs160 million that was equipped with CT-scan and MRI machines.

He avoided political questions and preferred to talk about the development related matters.

He said the health and education had become priorities in Punjab and so far DHQ hospitals had been provided the latest medical and surgical equipment in 20 districts of the province.

He cited UNDP latest report that ranked Punjab on the top in education and health sectors as compared to other provinces of the country.

He pledged upgrade of Depalpur THQ hospital and directed provincial health secretary Ali Jan Khan to fill the vacant ENT specialist seat at the DHQ hospital and also create a seat of a neurosurgeon there.

He criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan for leveling “false” allegation and said that during the last five years Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was destroyed and now the “Niazi party” had given its first 100-day plan for the nation.

He also lashed out at PPP co-chairperson Asif Zardari and said his party’s government had turned Karachi into ‘kirchi kirchi’ (pieces).

He said if the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would do “a better job” it would be appreciated by all.

He urged all the major institution to come forward to jointly work for the welfare of the people of Pakistan.

Earlier, when the chief minister went to the podium he called MNAs Chaudhry Riazul Haq Juj, Nadeem Abbas Rubera, Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, provincial ministers Syed Raza Ali Gillani, Khawja Imran Nazeer, MPAs Chaudhry Javid Allaudin and former MPA Rai Noor Muhammd Kharal, the father of MPA Samina Noor there. These parliamentarians kept standing beside the CM during his speech.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2018