Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Hassan Askari has inaugurated the project of Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology worth Rs 1 billion. After inauguration, he visited the institute and inspected its different sections. He also visited patients over there and enquired about their health. He also probed the attendants about the medical facilities being provided to their patients. This institute will facilitate the patients from six districts of the division with latest medical treatments. Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology is equipped with latest facilities including heart surgeries, Coronary Care Unit (CCU), Cardiac Emergency, Angiography, Angioplasty, Eco-Cardiograph, Radiology and Technical Laboratories. This project whose foundation stone was laid in 2006 and construction was started in 2007 was made operational fully after 12 years by the interim government. The institute has capacity of 200 beds but the initial arrangement is of 100 beds. It will provide around Rs 5,000,000 patients with latest medical facilities. With the establishment of Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology, patients would not be needed to refer to Lahore or other big cities. The Out Patient Department was established in this institute in 2014 and in 2016, the coronary angiography facility was made available for the public. Now in 2018, it offers 24 hours emergency and latest facilities of CCU and Cardiac Surgery. Seven senior Registrar Cardiology, three senior Registrar Cardiac Surgery, 33 medical officers and 58 nurses are performing their duties in this institute. While addressing at the occasion, Caretaker Punjab CM Hassan Askari said that in-time, completion of such projects is the need of the hour as it will provide people of that area with quality medical facilities. He said that serving humanity is the responsibility of every one along with the government and role of doctors and nurses in this noble cause is undeniable. He said that treating patients amicably takes away half their ailment. He said that the facility which is inaugurated today will flourish further in future and will assist the whole community. Patients not only from Wazirabad but from Gujranwala and other neighbouring areas will also be benefiting from this hospital whose credit goes to the collective teamwork, he added. Hassan Askari further said that even though it took 12 long years to complete this project but we hope that other needful facilities will be provided within time. He congratulated Caretaker Minister Health Jawad Khan and his team who worked hard day and night to complete this project and now it is attending 1,500 patients on average at daily basis. While addressing a query, Askari said that some of the complaints are related to federal and other departments and addressing them is not in our control, nevertheless we are trying to address the complaints which fall in our jurisdiction. A strategy has been devised in this regard, likewise Caretaker Interior Minister Shaukat Javed takes instant action against these complaints while implementation of Code of Conduct issued by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is also ensured. Interim Punjab government is assisting in the electoral process under the framework of ECP and political parties are also taken on board. He said that proper security is being provided to political gatherings as terrorism incidents have already taken place in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Askari further added that cooperation at every level is mandatory for transparent elections and it is “our utmost priority to provide peaceful, free and independent environment for it”, he said adding that prompt notice on media reports is also taken and further action as well as. He further said that prisoners in jail are provided with facilities according to their status and categories. Later on, Askari inaugurated afforestation campaign by planting a plant in the garden of the Institute of Cardiology. He said that the interim government has started this campaign in the whole of the province and “we are planting trees as this is the only way to minimise environmental pollution and smog”. Taking care of trees after planting them is also necessary, he said. Provincial Caretaker Ministers Zia Haider Rizvi, Dr Jawad Sajid Khan, specialised healthcare secretary and other concerned authorities were also present there. Askari also announced financial assistance of Rs 10 million for the affectees of Mastung incident. He said that the interim government will provide this aid to their Balochi brothers in Mastung fund. Furthermore, he added that “we are standing in solidarity with our brothers in this hour of anguish. The Mastung incident has touched every heart. We are standing with the bereaved families in this difficult time”. Askari has sternly denounced the blast incident that took place at Kolachi area of Dera Ismail Khan. Published in Daily Times, July 23rd 2018.