By Aftab Chaudhry:
ISLAMABAD, June 18 (INP): Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan has said that the Chairman of Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT) Chaudhry Muhammad Akhtar and his team have rendered exemplary services to mankind during natural disasters.
He expressed these views during a meeting with Overseas Kashmiri Leader and Chairman of Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT) Chaudhry Muhammad Akhtar.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said, “The efforts of Chaudhry Akhtar and his team in the natural calamities like earthquakes, cloud bursts and floods in Azad Kashmir are historic”.
Terming Kashmiri expatriates as a valuable asset for the state, the PM said, “We will set up health, education, employment and welfare institutions with the help of our Kashmiri expatriates and manage drug shortage and lack of modern machinery in the civil hospitals”.
He said that the welfare institutions were a great blessing for our society. “One of the major causes of our social problems is absence of a spirit of service in the community”, the PM said, adding that many people around us were desperately craving for help.
“It is our moral and religious duty to help the economically less privileged people especially orphans, widows, and those who are affected by floods or earthquakes or other calamities”, he said.
Referring to his surprise visit to one of the largest hospitals in the capital city the PM said, it was found that patients were denied medicines despite availability of medicines in the hospital. “Doctors were absent from duty and filth littered all around”, the PM said. He said that it was quite surprising to see that despite having medicines in hospitals, people were being forced to bring medicines from outside. This kind of mistreatment of patients, he said, would not be tolerated in future.
“In collaboration overseas, the government would provide modern equipment including ambulances, X-ray machines to hospitals to ensure better treatment facilities”, the PM said, adding that he won’t let the patients suffer at any cost. “I will make a surprise visit to all the hospitals established at the level of the Union Council of Azad Kashmir”, he said, adding that civil society should point out the shortcomings in the health system.
“Doctors will either do their duty or run their own private hospitals”, he said, adding that doctors would have to ensure their attendance in government hospitals otherwise legal action would be taken against those who violate the rules.
On the occasion the KORT Chairman Chaudhry Muhammad Akhtar while reiterating his commitment to social cause said that Kashmiri expatriate community would co-operate with the government in every possible way to bring about reforms and innovation in the health and education sectors.
He appreciated the performance of the government and said that the PM was taking revolutionary steps in health, education and other fields in Azad Kashmir.