Nawaz sentence in Al-Azizia reference referred to court not suspended: Naqvi

Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi clarified that the sentence in the Al-Azizia reference has not been suspended; the case has been referred to the court. He pointed out that during the Buzdar administration, Nawaz Sharif’s request was dismissed without a fair hearing. Now, the court is entrusted with the decision of granting or denying bail. The case has been forwarded to the court under Section 401. He assured that such applications will also be addressed promptly. Emphasizing the need for early elections, Chief Minister Naqvi expressed confidence in the Election Commission’s capacity to make sound decisions. He underscored the significance of conducting transparent elections, assuring that his administration would uphold their duty diligently. He made these remarks during a media interaction while visiting Jinnah Hospital today. Chief Minister Naqvi highlighted the absence of a dedicated government cancer hospital for the 14 crore people of Punjab. While acknowledging the quality of private sector cancer hospitals, he lamented their inaccessibility to a significant portion of the populace. He announced the forthcoming establishment of a state-of-the-art cancer hospital in Manawan, which is expected to be fully operational within three months. Chief Minister Naqvi acknowledged that according to court orders, doctors are prohibited from going on strike, and affirmed his reluctance to engage with those contemplating such actions. He assured the appointment of permanent Medical Superintendents in Punjab hospitals in the near future. Addressing concerns about medicine availability, he disclosed that 70% of required medicines are currently in supply, while the remaining 30% face challenges due to increased prices. He acknowledged that work progress in Jinnah Hospital has been sluggish, but assured that substantial efforts are underway across all major hospitals. Chief Minister Naqvi announced plans for the construction of the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology in the building adjacent to Jinnah Hospital, akin to the renowned Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). He emphasized that the new institute will exclusively focus on cardiac care, alleviating pressure on PIC. While acknowledging that the project will take time to reach completion, he affirmed its potential to become a vital healthcare facility. Additionally, he disclosed plans to relocate the trauma center to Jinnah Hospital and upgrade it to a state-of-the-art facility. A board meeting of Jinnah Hospital is scheduled for Saturday, during which pivotal decisions regarding the hospital’s affairs will be made. This development follows Chief Minister Naqvi’s visit to Jinnah Hospital earlier, where he interacted with patients, including senior journalist Azam Malik and an injured polio worker, enquiring about their well-being. He meticulously reviewed the medical facilities available and met with transplant recipients under the Free Kidney Transplant Program, ensuring they incurred no expenses for the procedure. In a pivotal high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naqvi at Jinnah Hospital, the decision was reached to construct a cardiac hospital in lieu of the initially planned trauma center. He issued directives for expeditious resolution of all matters pertaining to the heart hospital. A 7-member committee, led by Professor Dr. Farqad Alamgir, has been formed to oversee the project. Provincial Ministers Dr. Javed Akram and Amir Mir, Secretaries Health, Communication & Works, Special Secretary Health, Principal Allama Iqbal Medical College, MS Jinnah Hospital, and other relevant officers were present there. A free medical camp was arranged on the direction of Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, at Central Jail Kot Lakhpat to provide modern medical facilities to the prisoners. Checkups of as many as 96 prisoners were conducted and free eye operations of some prisoners were also recommended by the doctors. Four doctors conducted a detailed medical check-up of the prisoners and provided free eye drops and other medicines to the prisoners. It may be added here that prisoners appealed to CM Mohsin Naqvi to establish a medical camp during his visit to the jail. Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi has directed to complete the Rs200 million revamping project of MA Jinnah Road in Okara by December this year. During an on-site inspection late at night, he also inspected the under-construction gymkhana building and assured to arrange more resources to complete the ongoing work. He also appreciated the performance of DC Zeshan Hanif and DPO Mansoor Aman. Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi has directed to complete the Rs200 million revamping project of MA Jinnah Road in Okara by December this year. During an on-site inspection late at night, he also inspected the under-construction gymkhana building and assured to arrange more resources to complete the ongoing work. He also appreciated the performance of DC Zeshan Hanif and DPO Mansoor Aman. Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi paid a visit to the Lahore Prime Central Business District (CBD) in the Quaid District Project. During his visit, the Chief Minister conducted an extensive inspection of the ongoing road construction from CBD Punjab Quaid District to Walton Road, closely assessing the project’s progress. Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi emphatically directed the commencement of construction on the overhead bridge project spanning the Walton railway track, urging swift execution. He keenly observed the ongoing construction activities leading up to the bridge site and emphasized expediting the completion of the Walton Overhead Bridge project. Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi remarked that this endeavor would chart a new trajectory for Lahore’s development. Once completed, the linkage between Center Point and Walton Road will be traversable in a mere three minutes. He also anticipated an influx of substantial investments, totaling in the billions of rupees, upon the culmination of the entire CBD project. CEO Imran Amin provided a comprehensive briefing on the progress of the Lahore Prime CBD Punjab Quaid District project. He assured that the infrastructure work, encompassing road networks, sewerage systems, water supply, electricity grids, and communication networks, would be concluded soon. A dedicated area for green spaces has been incorporated into the Lahore Prime CBD Punjab Quaid District, ensuring a balanced urban environment. The CBD Punjab to Walton Road stretch, spanning 4.2 kilometers, is being constructed using cutting-edge Blue Road technology. Upon completion, CBD Punjab will facilitate uninterrupted travel from Quaid District to Walton Road with three lanes and a strategically positioned flyover. In attendance at the occasion were Provincial Information Minister Amir Mir, Secretary Housing, Secretary Information, CCPO, representatives from NLC, Deputy Commissioner, Chief Executive Officer of CBD, Chief Operating Officer of CBD, Brigadier (Rtd) Mansoor, and others. Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi has said that every segment of the society must play its role to deal with the challenge of poliovirus. In a statement issued today, the CM said that the poliovirus has been defeated globally, but it still exists in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which is a matter of concern. It is the primary duty of every Pakistani to make the country free from poliovirus; he added and appealed to the parents to get polio drops administered to their children to save them from this fatal disease. The CM also saluted the polio workers and organizations working against the poliovirus and said that this virus could be controlled with joint efforts so that future generations could be saved from this disease. We pledged to eradicate this disease from roots, he added.