Welcome to Punjab, where road construction projects are far more important then schools, hospitals and even lives of people. This may seem more of catchline to attract more readers but sadly thats the bitter reality. The most recent proof of it, is the death of more then 28 people in layyah a remote area of southern Punjab. These people reportedly ate toxic sweets from a local sweet shop.
Government which initially ordered Executive District Officer Health Layyah to look into the matter, has recently sent two doctors from the holy city of Lahore. And thats pretty much it. Few FIRS will be lodged, a District Officer Food might be suspended and that will sum it up for good. No inquiry commissions, no Chief Ministers visit for condolence and most of all no lessons learnt.
For all obvious reason it was primarily our Chief Minister Punjab Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif’s fault, who instead of improving and upgrading our district management system decided to develop authorities and companies. Such an initiative was Punjab Food Authority which after getting 20 times more budget than the district office of food has managed to bring Lahore eatries in order but failed to expand to any remote area of the province.
Back in 2013 government established a Punjab Food Authority for ‘Punjab’ which was designated with the task to ensure food quality and hygiene but sadly alike all other projects of the government, only Lahore benefited. Billion worth of development projects only to enhance cosmetic beauty of one city just to satiate one mans desire. Even people of Lahore are not satisfied with the artificial initiative of the provincial chief. We want better schools, we want health reforms, we want poverty to be elevated and most of all we want a prosperous pakistan.
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