RAWALPINDI, July 19 Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered that construction of Murree's first state-of-the-art hospital should start in no time.

He issued the directives to authorities during a visit to the hill resort on Sunday. The original site of 85 kanals of the hospital in Jhika Gali has now been increased to 320 kanals as it is proposed to be expanded into a hospital complex.

Mr Sharif chaired a high-level meeting in Murree and decided that the hospital would function under a trust. The proposed hospital is to have specialised departments, including kidney transplantation and dialysis centre.

He directed Rawalpindi's district government to avoid hacking trees mercilessly during the construction work. “Minimum level of (tree) cutting should be maintained.”The Punjab chief minister reviewed the design of the hospital, and stressed that facilities to be provided there should be on a par with international standards.

Mr Sharif said the provincial government was ensuring provision of free medicine at all hospitals, adding that this facility would soon be available in tehsil and district headquarters hospitals.

“The government is upgrading all health centres and ensuring provision of doctors, paramedical staff and medicines in far-flung areas.”