PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had promised to change the health and education sectors when it came to power two years ago. However, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak while launching an independent monitoring unit (IMU) at the Provincial Health Department expressed his dissatisfaction with its performance. The launch was largely attended by the government officials and the 217 young monitors for three-year IMU project who would burst into laughter from time to time during Mr Khattak’s rather an unusual long speech.

The chief minister seemed in high spirits as he spoke frankly how he wanted to see improvement in health sector. He thought it would be a model department and something which he could take pride in, but it was not so at the moment.

“I was telling Shahram (health minister) on my way here that our health is not good,” said Mr Khattak humorously – a befitting statement for both the slim politicians as well as the way things were in the health sector in the province.

He didn’t stop at that and talked about how his grandson almost died because of a fake injection. He decried how Health Regulatory Authority had been corrupted. He was of the view that either HRA should be reformed or done away with if things remained the way they were at the moment.

Mr Khattak mentioned how ironical it was that the government had to rely on biometric system to ensure doctors were on duty in hospitals. He said that a law had been passed for better management of the hospitals. Health care system and health commissions, a health insurance plan and tele-medicine would be introduced soon to reform the health sector.

Launches independent monitoring unit at health department

From time to time as usual the CM kept referring to the corruption and failure of the previous government in developing efficient government systems.

“I am a changed man now,” said Mr Khattak while calling his predecessor a ‘dacoit CM’ with whose government he had remained a provincial minister. He quickly defended himself for that and said he was helpless in that corrupt government, but now it was the PTI’s government and things were different altogether.

The chief minister looked a changed man, if one took his words at face value, as he spoke of how he kept a paper over the names against whom he has to sign the inquires almost every day. ‘I do it to make sure I do justice and I don’t change mind by seeing the names,” he said.

He said he did not go on any visit abroad if it did not bring any good for the province. He mentioned how public funds were wasted in the name of such official visits which could be arranged in very economical way. He said that such funds should be invested in better government structures and the efficient staff should be rewarded.

“I want the ugly looking people to go who have made our systems look ugly,” said Mr Khattak and encouraged youth to bring change. He asked the young monitors who would be monitoring health facilities in the province to bring this difference.

Talking of ugly things, CM Khattak narrated how once while passing by the provincial assembly building in a car he asked the Speaker, “Why are you so ugly”, which shocked Asad Qaiser, but he calmed down when Mr Khattak continued to ask why he couldn’t grow flowers and beautify the building which looked ugly with sandbags around it. The crowd once again laughed.

The CM said that he hoped all the reforms he promised in his maiden speech would be realised. He expressed his plans to promote the government staffers (BPS 1-14) and also warned that those who won’t work would go home.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2015

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