BAHAWALPUR, Feb 18: Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Saturday paid a surprise visit to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital and suspended its medical superintendent Dr Fazal Mahmood Khan for dereliction and not ensuring cleanliness.

While addressing the district bar association at Bahawal club, the CM said bars were being made financially viable by giving grants and lawyers had been promised housing colonies. He announced Rs1 million for the Bahawalpur district bar, and Rs0.3 million for each tehsil bar in three districts of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan. He also announced a housing colony for Bahawalpur district bar members for which DBA president Malik Aslam Channar had requested in his address of welcome.

Referring to the development of south Punjab districts, the chief minister said uplift projects amounting to Rs48 billion had been carried out during the past three years.

Earlier, the chief minister presided over the Founder’s Day function of Sadiq Public School, Bahawalpur and gave away certificates and prizes to students.

On this occasion, he said Rs21 billion would be spent on education during the next three years in the province. The chief minister announced a grant of Rs40 million for the school.

Speaking at a meeting of UC nazims, naib nazims and PML workers, Mr Elahi said women councillors would soon be paid honorarium for which necessary allocation had been made in the budget.

During his visit to the city TMA, the chief minister announced Rs15 million for the construction of its Saddar complex costing Rs20 million.

At Circuit House, the CM gave Rs7.5 million and Rs4 million worth of cheques respectively to GOC Maj-Gen Khalid Naeem Lodhi for renovation of Darbar Mahal and Bahawalpur chamber president Mahboob Nasir Chaudhry for the construction of its building.

The CM also gave Rs1.4 million to inspector Pervez Iqbal, who had led a police party to nab the Bosan gang ring leader last year. —Correspondent