KOHAT: The people of Kohat have demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to rebuild the old Liaquat Memorial Hospital (LMH) with the help of the oil and gas exploration companies. The LMH was constructed in 1951 and most of its buildings were in a shambles.

In past, the parliamentarians from the district and the administration had been releasing funds for purchase of petrol for generators and ambulances, and payment of gas bills of the staff colony. They had demanded that the oil companies should construct a modern hospital at the site, which could fulfil all the requirements of the people of the region.

The initial cost of the LMH’s reconstruction has been worked out as Rs500 million and MPA Amjid Khan has promised to donate his entire fund for the purpose if other lawmakers also showed their interest in the project. The total cost of the reconstruction project is estimated to be around Rs800 million.

The people have suggested that the OGDCL and MOL oil and gas exploration companies should construct the hospital because they are earning billions of rupees every year for the last 16 years from the district. Also, the government officials are of the view that without the cooperation of oil and gas companies the project of the LMH reconstruction could not take off.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2014