SUKKUR/LARKANA/NAWABSHAH: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday stressed the need for opening more hospitals to uplift healthcare standards in underserved areas.

He said this at the inauguration ceremony of the Ziauddin Hospital in Sukkur.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Balochistan CM Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, Dr Asim Hussain, Sindh ministers, MNAs, MPAs, hospital establishment and people from different walks of life attended the event.

Speaking on the occasion, the president vowed to keep up the Bhutto family’s legacy of public service, dedicated to improving the socio-economic well-being of the nation.

Terms inauguration of Ziuddin Hospital a ‘transformative moment’ for Sukkur and surrounding areas

He hailed the establishment of the Sukkur campus of the hospital and said that it would provide quality healthcare services to the people of Sukkur.

He termed the inauguration of the state-of-the-art hospital a transformative moment for Sukkur and its surrounding areas.

He praised Dr Asim and his hospital management for their efforts in establishing a facility equipped with cutting-edge technology and a team of highly skilled professionals.

The president reflected on his personal involvement in encouraging Ziauddin Hospital to invest in Sukkur, highlighting the need for such initiatives to uplift healthcare standards in underserved areas.

He said that the Sindh government would also bear the expenses for the establishment of a university at the Ziauddin Hospital Sukkur Campus.

He stated that he had also donated his personal land for establishing a campus of Ziauddin Hospital in Hyderabad.

The president said that the hospital exemplified Dr Asim Hussain and his family’s unwavering commitment to providing quality healthcare services to the people.

He highlighted that Dr Ziauddin was a member of the Central Legislative Assembly before Pakistan’s independence and an associate of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and now his family was carrying forward his legacy.

He highlighted the significance of a university campus, where medical students could pursue higher education.

He emphasised that providing top-notch healthcare facilities to the public was a top priority and reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the people of Pakistan have access to quality medical care.

The president also highlighted that the Rohri canal was being lined from its beginning and Rs15 billion would be spent annually in this regard.

He said that the funds generated from the trading of carbon credits in the international market were being used for the lining of the Rohri canal project.

Meets JUI-F leadership

Earlier in Naudero, Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro, the Sindh chapter’s general secretary of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), called on President Zardari, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Faryal Talpur.

District chief Moulana Nasir Mehmood Soomro also accompanied Maulana Soomro.

PPP sources said that the two sides exchanged views on the political situation in the country and regarding the Madressah Registration Bill.

JUI-F sources said that President Zardari said reservations of Maulan Fazlur Rehman regarding the seminary bill would be addressed.

The JUI-F delegation expressed concern over the poor law and order situation to which Mr Bhutto-Zardari instructed the Sindh government for taking measures to maintain peace.

Jamil Soomro political secretary to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and MPA Suhail Siyal were also present in the meeting.

Meanwhile, the president arrived in Nawabshah from Sukkur later in the day. He was was welcomed by Home Minister Zia Lanjar and local leadership of the PPP.

According to sources, president will stay in Nawabshah for three days where he would meet party leadership of Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar and Naushahro Feroze.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2024