President, PM agree to continue anti-terror operations

Free healthcare services to be extended to entire country

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain on Monday agreed to continue operations against the scourge of terrorism and extremism till its total elimination from the country. 

In a meeting, both the leaders expressed satisfaction on betterment in all sectors including economy of the country. The president and the prime minister also expressed satisfaction over the encouraging reports of international institutions over reduction in corruption in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s House decided to extend free health services for the poorest of the poor to the entire country, including Azad Kashmir, Fata and Gilgit-Baltistan’s remote areas.

 The meeting was also attended by Maryam Nawaz who is the architect of the National Health Programme of the prime minister. The programme has been widely appreciated throughout the country.

It has been officially stated that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed the Ministry of National Health Services to extend the programme to the entire country including Fata, GB and Azad Kashmir with stringent monitoring system and zero tolerance on all counts. He said the federal government will implement the programme in the entire country on priority basis as the remote areas of KP and Sindh are more vulnerable to diseases and the prevailing poverty in these areas does not allow people to afford health care facilities. “We want to reach out to the poorest of the poor with a comprehensive package of curative health services, as I believe that the combination of diseases and poverty could be lethal for any poor family. We will break this deadly nexus between poverty and diseases,” added the prime minister.

The meeting reviewed progress on the implementation of Prime Minister’s National Health Programme (PMNHP) and took decision about its expansion. 

The prime minister said that access to quality health-care services is the inherent right of every Pakistani, which was unfortunately denied to them for long. The PM added that it is only through provision of quality and affordable health services that the nation can achieve its full potential and gains on the economic and social fronts.

Meanwhile, the prime minister while expressing his resolve to strengthening road and rail network further in the country said that infrastructure projects are the backbone of country’s growing economy.

Chairing a meeting to review the progress of New Islamabad International Airport project and its allied infrastructure here at Prime Minister House, he said the state-of-the-art airport would enhance image of the country. 

Secretary Aviation Division Muhammad Irfan Elahi informed the meeting that 95 percent work on the airport terminal building has been completed and all civil works would be completed by March next. Thereafter, the facility will undergo extensive testing to conform to international standards and by July 2017 the airport would be ready for operations. 

The prime minister was informed that the new airport will have a capacity of handling 4,500 passengers at a time with 15 docking stations where two A-380 aircraft would be able to dock simultaneously. The prime minister was updated that the new airport will have state-of-the-art facilities including cargo handling, safety and security, passenger facilitation and parking services. 

Chairman NHA Chaudhry Shahid Ashraf Tarrar told the meeting that the new airport is being provided main road access from both Motorways M-1 & M-2 and also from main GT Road (N-5). Moreover, the airport will also have access from Islamabad Metro that the prime minister will inaugurate on August 14 along with New Islamabad International Airport.