SARGODHA: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz laid the foundation stone of the Sargodha Institute of Cardiology adjacent to the Sargodha Medical College on Faisalabad Road and visited the proposed site on Thursday.

This is the third time this project has been initiated by successive governments.

The commissioner briefed the chief minister on the cardiology project which would also include labs, nursing and doctor hostels.

The chief minister directed that the ease of transportation for the people should be given priority. She said the Dr Faisal Masood Teaching hospital would also be upgraded.

During her visit, the chief minister also inspected various departments of the Sargodha Medical College.

Health facility sees third launch by different hands

MNA Dr Zulfiqar, provincial ministers Maryam Aurangzeb, Khawaja Salman Rafiq, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Sohaib Bharath and Adviser Parvez Rasheed and senior officials were present.

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Ms Nawaz also visited the front desk of the model police station, reviewing arrangements and stressing the need for equal treatment to every citizen, irrespective of their status. After inspecting the condition of the lockup, she inquired from the suspects confined there about the facilities they were receiving. The inmates appreciated the behavior and conduct of the model police station.

She met with the family of an ill-fated minor maid who was tortured to death by her master a week ago in the area of Luksian. She condoled the death of the maid and assured her mother that the concerned culprits would be taken to task, with no leniency whatsoever.

She expressed empathy, saying, “I am a mother; I understand your pain.” She directed provincial minister Sohaib Bharath to stay in touch with the affected family and resolve their issues.

Also, the local administration managed to avoid the scheduled meeting of the media with the chief minister at the commissioner’s office. Journalists waited until 5pm, and suddenly the deputy commissioner asked the media persons to go to Sargodha Gymkhana for Ms Nawaz’s media talk. When they arrived at Gymkhana, the chief minister had left for the airbase.

No details of the proposed cardiology project were given to the media.

Earlier, this project was started upon the grant of former MNA Chaudhry Hamid Hameed, who initiated the project at DHQ hospital in memory of his father Chaudhry Abdul Hameed.

Later, in the era of the PTI government, this project was launched in memory of former federal minister Chaudhry Anwar Ali Cheema, and funds were also released, but it couldn’t succeed due to coronavirus and was converted into a shelter home (panahgah).

It was launched again for the third time by Ms Nawaz. This is the reason the local administration avoided a press meeting.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2024