Reacting sharply to opposition's National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) accusations during Saudi Arabia visit, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday said there is nothing unusual about going there on a snap trip. "My visit to Saudi Arabia is not a surprising thing; the Saudi government offered me to perform Ummrah and I am thankful that I have performed it by the grace of Almighty Allah. Saudi government has exhibited best hospitality," Shahbaz said.
Talking to media in Lahore on Tuesday, Shahbaz has said that he will hold a detailed media talk on the Saudi visit soon. "Have some fear of the Almighty, some said a special plane came and others said it was a private jet," he responded in reply to a query. He said the opposition levelled fake allegations against him of travelling on a special plane. The opponents should have fear of Allah as nothing like this happened, he added.
Shahbaz maintained that Saudi Arabia is a trusted friend of Pakistan who has always sided with us in every hour of trial. The relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is very deep-rooted and both the countries trust each other, he said, adding: "Saudi Arabia never imposed any string and Pakistan has always fully trusted Saudi Arabia because our relationship is not imitational or traditional and both are interlinked with each other in a bond of affection and mutual trust."
He further said that Saudi Arabia has always emerged as a trusting partner during every hour of trial. Saudi Arabia has sided with Pakistan at different international fora and it has given diplomatic, moral, political and financial support to Pakistan without imposing any string, he said. "Saudi Arabia was one of the most friendly countries to Pakistan and had always 'blindly trusted' the country," Shahbaz mentioned.
Shahbaz termed a recent tweet by US President Donald Trump about Pakistan as irresponsible. He stressed that Trump had levelled serious allegations against Pakistan and the entire country needed to be united in its reply. Moreover, Shahbaz paid a surprise visit to Pakistan Kidney & Liver Transplant Institute (PKLI) immediately after his return from Saudi Arabia. He went to different sections and inspected various facilities being provided to the patients there.
He also inquired after the health of the patients about the medical facilities provided to them. The patients thanked the Chief Minister for this wonderful facility.
Shahbaz also talked with doctors, nurses and the paramedical staff and said that this institution will emerge as a state-of-the-art facility for the treatment of ailing humanity and advised them to serve the patients with commitment and passion. He appreciated the passion of doctors, surgeons and physicians who have had left their lucrative jobs abroad to join the PKLI and added that this noble passion is praiseworthy.
Shahbaz also presided over a meeting to review the timeline for the completion of leftover assignments of the first phase. He issued necessary directions for early completion of the second phase. He said the Punjab government, PKLI and the Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab have jointly performed this job and the first phase has been completed well in time due to the hard work of all the people attached with this project.
"I have come straight to the hospital after my return from Saudi Arabia so that I could personally monitor the quality of medical facilities here and I am quite satisfied that doctors and nurses have been working with commitment and passion," he said. While talking to the media, Shahbaz said that this hospital would emerge as a role model institution in the region and the first phase has been completed by doing work on it day and night. The leftover assignments of the first phase will be operationlized soon while the second phase will be completed by March 23.
"We are trying to start the kidney transplant from this month while the liver transplant will be started from March," he added. Later, the Chief Minister inaugurated the approach road. It was told on the occasion that Badian Road to PKLI link road will ensure easy access along with connecting different localities.
This road has been completed in a period of 20 days and is a part of the project of construction of road from Nawaz Sharif Interchange to Hadiara Road. Provincial Minister Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Chief Secretary, Chairman P&D, DG LDA and others were present on the occasion.
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