RAWALPINDI, Oct 18 (APP):Residents of Lalkurti have protested against the closure of the area’s historic dispensary, urging the Defence Minister, Defence Secretary and Director General of Military Lands and Cantonments (DG MLC) to take immediate notice of the matter.
A delegation of local residents, including Haji Jamil, Haji Shabbir, Khan Akhlaq, Arshad Qureshi and Mirza Ghulam Mustafa, also met Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Division Malik Ibrar Ahmad and briefed him on the issue.
The delegation said the dispensary was established before the partition of the subcontinent and was later shifted to its present location by the Cantonment Board authorities. With the efforts of the Regional Director and MLC Headquarters, a modern laboratory was established and diagnostic equipment was provided at the facility.
Hundreds of patients from low-income families in Lalkurti and nearby areas visit the dispensary daily for treatment and diagnostic services, which they cannot afford at expensive private healthcare facilities. The delegation expressed concern that its closure would deprive thousands of people of access to essential medical care.
Malik Ibrar Ahmad said providing healthcare facilities to citizens was a key responsibility of the Cantonment Board. He expressed concern over decisions that could affect the welfare of local residents, particularly those who depend on public healthcare services.
He assured the delegation that he would raise the issue at relevant forums, including the National Assembly, the Standing Committee, the Defence Secretary and the DG MLC. He said efforts would be made to ensure that residents were not deprived of the historic healthcare facility.
Efforts were also made to contact Rawalpindi Cantonment Board spokesperson Imran Habib for the board’s position on the matter, but no response was received.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
