Heated debate in PA over PAC chief appointment

LAHORE:Punjab Assembly witnessed exchange of heated arguments between law minister and opposition member over the appointment of Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) here on Tuesday.

Law Minister Raja Basharat and PML (N) MPA Sami Ullah Khan exchanged hot words when the issue was taken up by the opposition. The law minister on the occasion said the PTI government would not appoint any corrupt person as chairman Public Accounts Committee-1.

This is noteworthy that the opposition has been demanding appointment of Hamza Shahbaz as the Chairman of PAC-1. He said if the opposition leader in National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, quitted as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of the NA, why not Hamza Shahbaz could give up as chairman PAC 1 of the Punjab Assembly.

Sami Ullah Khan said it had been two and a half years but the office of PAC 1 was vacant on which Raja Basharat replied that a 'nabbed' person couldn't be appointed as chairman of the committee.

‘University to be commissioned soon’: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has announced that University of Child Health will soon be commissioned at Children’s Hospital, Lahore. “After setting up the University of Child Health, new colleges of paediatrics shall be set up in Punjab,” she announced at a ceremony held to mark the Silver Jubilee celebration of Children’s Hospital, Lahore, here on Tuesday. The minister said that staff and faculty members of Children’s Hospital had rendered tremendous services to ensure quality treatment and diagnostic services to the child patients at the hospital in the last 25 years.

She said that the government is making an all-out effort to strengthen the services for mother and child health. Later, the minister also distributed prizes and medals among the doctors, nurses and paramedical staff.

Earlier, Children’s Hospital Dean Professor Masood Sadiq presented an overview of the performance of the institution in the last 25 years and lauded the services of leading professionals and founding members, including Prof Dr Saeedul Haq, Prof Dr Mahmood Shaukat, Prof Dr Sajid Maqbool, Prof Dr Tahir Masood, Col (retd) Mansoor Cheema, Prof Dr Nadeem Malik, Prof Agha Shabbir Ali, Prof Dr Tahir Shamsi and Prof Dr Muhammad Ali. “Presently, around 2,500 children are given treatment daily at the OPD of the hospital,” he added.

Besides, Medical Director Prof Dr Mohammad Salim, Kind Edward Medical University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Masood Gondal, Fatima Jinnah Medical University VC Prof Amir Zaman Khan, Postgraduate Medical Institute Principal Prof Dr Sardar Al Farid, SIMS Principal Prof Dr Muhammad Amjad, Children’s Hospital faculty members, staff and a large number of students were also present on the occasion.