RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Wednesday issued directions to complete construction of Mother and Childcare Hospital (MCH) on Asghar Mall Road within two months while rejecting the time frame of six months of the contractor.

During his surprise visit to the construction site, Mr Ahmed said Prime Minister Imran Khan would also visit the hospital to review progress of work in March as he wants to complete it as soon as possible so people could benefit from the project.

Accompanied by Federal Parliamentary Secretary Sheikh Rashid Shafique, he said the government will not tolerate any negligence on the quality of work, adding, funds have been provided and it is the duty of the administration to complete work on the hospital’s construction as it is meant to facilitate the common man.

The minister was told that construction of the hospital would be completed in six months. Rejecting this time, he said construction should be completed until April 30.

There will be space for 200 beds therein along with 17 state-of-the-art operating theatres. Total cost of the project is Rs5.2 billion. Machinery, operating equipment and elevators have arrived and free treatment will be provided to women and children. A hostel has also been built alongside the hospital. Almost 20 to 30pc of the work is left.

The hospital will be functional while operation theatres will also be operational from May. Mr Ahmed said apart from the Rawalpindi district, citizens of Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal, AJK and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will also be able to benefit from its establishment.

The project’s cost escalated from Rs2.5 billion to Rs5.2 billion.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2021