ISLAMABAD: Prime Mini­ster Shehbaz Sharif met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Sunday after the Saudi premier exten­ded a special invitation to him for an iftar dinner in Makkah.

Prime Minister of Bah­rain and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa also attended the special iftar dinner.

PM Sharif conveyed prayers and best wishes for the health and well-being of the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

He expressed gratitude for warm welcome acco­rded to him and his delegation by Saudi authorities.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Mr Sharif appreciated the upward trajectory of longstanding fraternal relations and reaffirmed the resolve to further stren­gthen bilateral ties. After the iftar, a bilateral meeting was also held followed by a one-on-one meeting between the two leaders.

The prime minister and members of his cabinet earlier left for Makkah to perform Umrah, the PM Office media wing said.

Pakistan delegation included Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Mini­ster Khawaja Mohammad Asif, Information Minister Ataullah Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Meanwhile, in a message on the World Health Day which was being observed on Sunday, PM Sharif reiterated government’s commitment to provide health facilities to all people of Pakistan.

“Towards our destination of a healthier nation, I once again reiterate the commitment of the government to transform Pakistan’s healthcare sector at all levels that will ensure that every Pakistani has access to quality healthcare,” he said.

In order to ensure health facilities to all people as promised to the nation in the PML-N manifesto, the prime minister said the government’s focus would remain on improving health care facilities and better governance.

“We will also encourage provincial governments to expand and upgrade health facilities, launch mobile health clinics for enhanced access, re-energise immunisation and improve mental health services,” the PM Office Media Wing quoted the prime minister as saying in a press release.

Mr Shehbaz said that establishment and operationalisation of a medical city, establishment of a cancer care hospital and Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute facilities in each province remained top priority of the government. “We take pride in having launched the Health Card during PML-N’s 2013-18 tenure. We remain committed to universal health coverage and universal health insurance for our population, particularly providing free-of-cost healthcare services to low- and middle-income families,” he claimed.

On the World Health Day, the PM also applauded hea­lth professionals, paramedical staff, nur­ses and other health workers who selflessly worked day and night to provide health services to the nation.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2024