RAWALPINDI: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Thursday that the ministry was working on involving the private sector to run educational institutions and health facilities of the Pakistan Railways so better facilities are provided the children of employees.

He expressed these views during the groundbreaking ceremony of up gradation of the emergency department at Islamic International Medical College Trust (IIMCT) Railway General Hospital. He said better education facilities will be provided to the children of employees.

The project will roughly cost Rs400 million and all expenses will be borne by the IIMCT.

He appreciated better treatment facilities at the hospital and offered it to run railways hospitals in Karachi, Multan and other parts of the country under a public-private partnership.

The minister said India wants to spread sectarian violence in Pakistan and law enforcement agencies had arrested terrorists who were allegedly planning to target ulema from the the Shia and Sunni communities in the twin cities to fuel violence.

He further said that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) bill, passed through joint session of the parliament on Wednesday was a milestone for the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government, as legislation for it was made, keeping in view the best interest of the country.

He said opposition leaders failed to obtain NROs from Prime Minister Imran Khan as they were trying to exploit the situation and wanted relaxation in the name of FATF legislation. He said there was no threat to the PTI government and it would complete its constitutional term.

The PR, he said, with help from the Chinese government will establish an international university soon and 80pc of the work on construction of Mother and Child Hospital has been completed and will likely be operational by the end of this year.

He said the ministry will start work on the mainline-1 (ML-1) project and its tender would be called on Sept 20, and two more colleges will be established in Khayaban-e-Sir Syed and Raheem Abad this year.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2020