Buzdar vows to punish culprits of PIC tragedy

Terming the rumpus and destruction caused by lawyers at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) as an illogical and illegal act, the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Wednesday said that legal action will be taken against those who took law into their hands.

"Such immoral and indecent behavior being done with doctors, paramedical staff, patients and their heirs is highly intolerable and the government is standing with those who have been subjected to violence," the CM Sardar Usman Buzdar said while presiding over cabinet committee for law & order emergency meeting at CM Office today.

Additional Chief Secretary Home submitted the incident report. It was decided that the Cabinet committee for law & order should hold its meetings on daily basis and maintain a stern watch on the prevailing conditions.

Usman Buzdar while addressing the participants said that the writ of government will be maintained at every cost. He said that he has been deeply grieved with sorrow over the death of few patients being caused due to non-availability of treatment facilities. The sympathies of Punjab government are with the heirs of deceased patients.

"The torture incident being committed on Provincial Information Minister Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan is also highly regrettable. Our all out sympathies are with the violent-stricken persons. Justice will not only be done but will also be seen to be done on this sorrowful incident," the CM said, adding: "The oppressors will definitely be punished according to law."

The CM directed concerned officials that those found responsible for creating unrest and violence in the hospital should be identified with the help of CCTV cameras and cases should be registered according to law against them. He further directed to immediately restore provision of healthcare facilities to the patients in the hospital and also directed to restore all damages being done to the hospital without any delay. "Damages being done to the vehicles of doctors will be redressed and Punjab government after taking account of damages will also pay compensation for damages," he stated.

Usman Buzdar was also apprised during the meeting that 34 lawyers have been arrested who were found involved in committing this tragic incident and Rangers have also been called.

Provincial Ministers Raja Basharat, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Hashim Dogar, Ansar Majeed Khan, Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan, Taimoor Bhatti, Chief Secretary Punjab, Advocate General Punjab, Inspector General Police, Additional Chief Secretary Home, Commissioner Lahore, officials of law enforcement agencies and other senior officers also participated in the meeting.