MULTAN, July 21: The administration of Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology is avoiding repair of a signboard that was torn by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz workers on June 25 when they were protesting against a Lahore High Court decision to disqualify PML-N patron Nawaz Sharif from contesting the by-polls.

On June 10, 2007, the Punjab government got approved a resolution by the Multan district council to rename the Multan Institute of Cardiology as Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology in recognition of his services for the development of the city.

On May 27, 2008, the district council, however, rejected a resolution backed by the PML-N for changing the name of the institution again from Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology to the Multan Institute of Cardiology.

Amjad Bokhari, a journalist, said a resolution had been presented in the district council to change the name of the institute where elected representatives of the PML-N had expressed their views that the name of the institute was changed against the wishes of the people of Multan, so the government should once again change its name.He said the fear of political victimisation was preventing the institute’s administration from repairing the signboard, and it was trying to develop a soft corner among provincial high-ups of a political party.

Intellectual and writer Zahoor Dhareja said the institute should be named after last governor of Multan, Nawab Muzaffar Khan, who was a freedom fighter and was killed by Sikh forces while fighting for the city in 1818.

He said the institute had been built after demolishing the residence of Nawab Muzaffar Khan so it should be named after him.

PML-Q District President Rai Mansab Ali said razing the signboard of the institute was a shameful act and such acts could not enhance or reduce popularity of any political party so if the PML-N wanted to change its name, it should have moved the district assembly for this purpose.

He said political parties should honour political traditions and avoid changing the names of institutions. He also urged the institute administration to remain neutral and asked it to repair the signboard.

Parvaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology Executive Director Dr Ali Raza Gardezi refused to comment, while Medical Superintendent Dr Ikhlaq Ansari was not available comment.