QUETTA: Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri has announced that his government will establish a cancer hospital and a cardiovascular hospital in Balochistan and trauma centres in all districts of the province.

He was speaking at a ceremony held to launch an ambulance service by the Nawabzada Sikandar Zehri Shaheed Trust on Saturday.

Mr Zehri appreciated the trust’s efforts for launching the ambulance service and said Balochistan had a large area and ambulance services in its far-flung areas would be helpful in saving many precious lives.

He said the trust should also work for the promotion of education in Balochistan. He stressed the need for setting up technical and healthcare centres in remote areas of the province. He said the trust should spread its social service network throughout the province.

Mr Zehri paid tribute to Abdul Sattar Edhi and said the late humanitarian had rendered matchless services for the welfare of people. He said all people should follow in his footsteps and work for the welfare of people according to their capacity.

He said Mr Edhi launched an ambulance service in Karachi when the city was passing through a difficult time. Without any doubt it could be said that the Edhi Foundation’s ambulance service had saved thousands of lives, he added.

On the occasion, Mr Zehri announced a grant of Rs5 million for the Edhi Foundation. He also announced renaming the Hockey Chowk in Quetta as the Abdul Sattar Edhi Chowk in recognition of the late humanitarian’s services for the welfare of people.

He called upon rich people to come forward and play their due role in social services.

Talking about the loss of lives in recent incidents at the Gadani ship-breaking yard, the chief minister said he had imposed a ban on dismantling of oil tankers and LPG containers at the yard until a proper safety mechanism was put in place to save the lives of people working there. He said he had taken this decision despite immense pressure on him from some quarters.

Speaking on the occasion, Faisal Edhi, a son of the late Abdul Sattar Ehdi, lauded the Sikandar Zehri Shaheed Trust and offered every possible support from the Edhi Foundation.

He said as Balochistan had a large area the government should think about launching an air ambulance service so that patients from the province’s far-flung areas could be shifted to hospital in cities without the waste of time.

Balochistan Assembly Speaker Rahila Durrani said that the foundation of the Sikandar Zehri Saheed Trust was the result of a vision. She said the trust’s ambulance service would play an important role in the province.

Ms Durrani paid tribute to the late Abdul Sattar Edhi.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2017