Handing over of JPMC, NICVD, NICH: Sindh government to file review petition in SC

Sindh government has decided to file a review petition in the Supreme Court on its judgment vis-à-vis handing over of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), National Institute of Child Health Diseases (NICHD) to the federal government.
This was stated by Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Information & Archives, Law and Anti-Corruption Establishment, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, here on Saturday.
"The JPMC, NICVD and NICHD were devolved to the provincial government in accordance with the 18th Constitutional Amendment and that devolution was done in the best interest of the masses," he said, addressing a press conference at Sindh Assembly building, where he also vowed that people and government of Sindh would strongly resist all such efforts of the "failed and inefficient" PTI-led government that are aimed at rollback of the 18th Amendment and reversal of devolution of powers to provinces.
Murtaza asserted that the only purpose of the 18th Amendment was to strengthen federation itself through strengthening the provinces. He also expressed surprise that those who had been trumpeting themselves as owners of Karachi in the past, are now silent on the recent verdict of the apex court.
"Sindh government considers the provision of basic health services as its premier responsibility," he said, adding that it has been providing exemplary services to the masses through these three health units. Not only the people of the province but the people from rest of the county also benefited through the services of these health units working under the Sindh government, he said. The Adviser He noted the total budget of the NICVD was merely Rs400 million when devolved and the targeted budget of the NICVD is 12 billion because of sincere and devoted efforts of the provincial government.
Murtaza Wahab said that at the time of devolution, the NICVD only existed in Karachi and after its upgrading in Karachi, now it has been expanded to the other districts of the province that included Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Mithi, Larkana, Khairpur, Nawabshah, Sehwan and Sukkur. He said that currently, eight Chest Pain Units in different areas in Karachi are providing free of cost services to the people. He said basic function of said units is to provide timely emergency service to the heart patients before they could be shifted to the hospitals safely. He said that so far, 150,000 heart patients have been timely attended by these Chest Pain Units.
"Sindh government can say this proudly that at least 5000 precious lives have been saved by the timely services of the dedicated staff of these CPUs," he said.
The Adviser further said that Sindh government, in line with the vision of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, believes in quality healthcare services. He said that JPMC has also been revolutionised and its working capacity as well as working condition had improved to a great extent.
He specifically mentioned the Cyber Knife treatment and Cancer research being conducted at the JPMC.
On the JIT report and naming 172 people in Exit Control List, Murtaza Wahab said that as far as the recommendations relating to Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Syed Murad Ali Shah are concerned, the learned counsel for the JIT has frankly conceded that the material against the said persons may need re-examination to arrive at the correct conclusion. He said the decision of the Supreme Court as well as the counsel for the JIT validated the Sindh government's point of view.
Expressing surprise, he said, it is unprecedented that the case was being followed and hearing is being held in Islamabad whereas those nominated in the JIT report hail from Sindh province NAB is also functioning in Sindh.
"It shows the distrust in the institutions," he said, arguing that since the ineffective PTI government has failed to deliver, it began indulging in political tactics most suited to them.
Murtaza Wahab said that the ineffective PTI government has no policy and no vision and they don't have any solution to the crises they themselves cobbled together. He blamed the federal government for inflation, load shedding of gas and electricity, issues relating to acute water shortage, health and economic sectors.
Sindh government believes that the National Accountability Bureau will deliver an impartial decision over the report of the JIT. He said that Pakistan People's Party always believed in the independence of the institutions refraining from point-scoring that is being practised by the ruling PTI leaders across the country.