SIALKOT, June 16: The burn unit project at Government Allama Iqbal Memorial (DHQ) Hospital is in doldrums, as the finance department has refused to provide Rs20 million funds to the health department for its completion. Some three years ago, then district nazim Mian Naeem Javaid had announced the setting up of the burn unit at the DHQ Hospital. About two-and-a-half-years back, the former district nazim had also laid its foundation stone with a sole aim of providing advanced treatment facilities to burnt patients.

District officer (health) Dr Shakil Ahmad Butt said that the then district government could not generate the required funds while it also failed to get PC-1 for the proposed burn unit.

He said although this project was in the larger interest of the people, the present district government had also yet not undertaken this project.

District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema said the present district government would not drop this public-welfare project in its next annual development programme. — Correspondent