KOHAT: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Saturday laid the foundation stone of new building of the Liaquat Memorial Hospital, which would replace the old building constructed in 1951. The project would cost Rs1.13 billion.

He also performed the groundbreaking for the building for newly-made Gumbat tehsil, which would cost Rs139.765 million, and inaugurated Zameer Gul Dam constructed with a cost of Rs1.12 billion.

During his daylong visit to Kohat, the chief minister also met with various delegations, including that of paramedics association, bazaar union, PK-37, PK-38 and PK -39 constituencies and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf office-bearers, which called on him at the Circuit House, separately.

A five-member delegation of paramedics led by its president Rashid Bokhari met him and raised the demand of service structure for them. The chief minister announced on-the-spot approval of the demands of paramedics.

Mr Khattak was accompanied by MNA Shehryar Afridi, law minister Imtiaz Shahid, MPA Ziaullah Bangash, Kohat commissioner and other high-ranking police officers.

Says his govt taking steps for ensuring rule of law and merit

The chief minister said that before the PTI rule there was no system which could address the basic needs of the common man in the province, while they had been taking steps for the rule of law, merit and development without any discrimination. He said that now all recruitments were being made through NTS tests and Public Service Commission.

In a meeting with the CM, the business community led by Haji Abid complained about the bad performance of the Water Supply and Sanitation Company. Mr Khattak summoned WSSC director Mr Arif and asked him about the problems who said that he had sent approval for employing 400 sweepers and soon cleanliness system would be improved in the city.

The chief minister snubbed him and asked why WSSC was not hiring drivers, sweepers and other staff when the government had already given huge funds to it. District nazim Naseem Afridi and former governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain seconded the point of view of the traders. They informed the CM that they were hearing about the employment of sweepers for the last five months.

They also demanded equal fee for the Kohat medical college which was the only private college in the whole province while others were attached with the health department. On this, the CM said that he would discuss the issue with the relevant authorities and try to attach it with the Khyber Medical University.

They also demanded construction of overhead bridges for smooth flow of traffic in Kohat. They also sought funds for running the private dialysis centre and repair of two machines lying dysfunctional in the KDA hospital. The chief minister promised to address the demands in due course of time.

The delegation objected to the alleged use of substandard material under the beautification project. The CM called the deputy commissioner and told him that he should immediately take notice and appoint engineers for monitoring work under the beautification plan.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2018