KARACHI, July 31: Former city nazim Niamatullah Khan on Sunday said that frequent changes in the provincial health department had marred its performance.

He asserted that frequent changes on slots of provincial health minister, health adviser, health secretary and EDOs had made this department ill. He said that this practice had also harmed policy-making process.

The former nazim said that since October 2003, the portfolio of health had remained with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, but it had witnessed fourth change in two-and-half years. He said that after Noman Saigol, Naeem Ishtiaque and Malik Faisal, now Shabbir Qaimkhani had given the charge. He said that their average tenure had remained six to eight months.

Niamatullah Khan said that the same situation was faced by EDOs Health. During his tenure as nazim, he added, the provincial government had changed four EDOs. He asked what factors really worked behind these frequent changes and who was responsible for their negative effects on performance of this vital department.

He said that Sindh was the lone unlucky province, where 57 health institutions including heart diseases hospital of Federal B Area were running without the approval of SNE. He said that people were left on the mercy of private hospitals and rulers were busy in musical chair game of changing ministers and advisers.

He appealed to President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to take notice of frequent changes in the Sindh health department, as these were a “conspiracy” against the concept of policy continuity. He also asked people of Karachi, intellectuals and persons related to medical community and media to mull over the situation.

Meanwhile, addressing a reception hosted in his honour at Block-J of North Nazimabad on Sunday, Niamatullah Khan said that Karachi was the economic jugular vein of the country and it could not be handed over to “extortionists”.

He said that a leader with qualities of honesty, accountability and trusteeship was the need of the hour for the continuity of uplift process in the city. He said that polls could not be won by colouring electricity poles. “It also needs colouring hearts of the masses.”

He said that uplift work carried out during his tenure was a record in the whole country. He said that breaking of plaques of uplift projects could not scratch love form hearts of the masses.

Niamatullah Khan asked why those favouring posting of private guards on polling stations were afraid of the supervision of army. He expressed hope that the silent majority of Karachiites would not remain inside their homes on the day of elections, and they would throng polling stations to choose their real representatives.

Faseehuddin Siddiqui, Muhammad Muslim, Qazi Saddaruddin, Ansar Razi and others also spoke on the occasion.—PPI

Addressing another reception hosted for him at RCD Ground by the residents of Malir, Niamatullah Khan said that local body elections should be held under army supervision, otherwise, the nation would not accept the results, our reporter adds.

He pointed out that all political forces had expressed apprehensions about law and order situation in Karachi on the eve of elections. According to him, President Musharraf and PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim had also agreed that army should be deployed for supervision of those polling stations where there was apprehension of disturbances.

Criticizing the home minister’s statement that the elections would be held under the supervision of 3,000 private security guards, he said in fact relying on private security guards was a confession by the minister that police and Rangers were not capable to hold peaceful polls.

Earlier, he announced the names of joint panels comprising nazim and naib nazim as nominated by Tameer-i-Karachi Ittehad for Malir Town.

On this occasion, a resolution was also adopted against misuse of local government and official resources. The resolution called upon the election commission to take action against those indulging in violation of code of conduct and disqualify them from contesting the polls.