Day: July 11, 2026

Lahore: Punjab Minister for Health and Emergency Services Khawaja Salman Rafique on Friday said the Rescue Internship Programme, launched under the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, is a revolutionary initiative aimed at equipping young paramedics with modern emergency medical training, better employment opportunities and a strong spirit of public service.

He was addressing the Punjab Chief Minister’s Intern Passing Out Parade held at the Rescue Headquarters, where more than 300 interns completed their eight-week training at the Emergency Services Academy.

The minister said Emergency Services Punjab had evolved into an internationally recognised institution, with trainees from more than 30 countries as well as all provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan receiving professional training at the academy. He praised Rescue 1122 personnel for their frontline role during the 2025 floods and said the Punjab government had equipped the service with modern rescue equipment under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said the Rescue Internship Programme would introduce a sustainable human resource model that would enhance the capacity of emergency medical services, improve service quality and ensure effective utilisation of government resources. He urged the graduating interns to continue learning, maintain physical fitness and serve every citizen with compassion, professionalism and integrity.

Highlighting the achievements of Rescue 1122, he said the service had responded to more than 20 million emergency victims, including over five million road traffic accidents and more than 294,000 fire incidents. He added that the Rescue 1122 Motorbike Rescue Service had handled over 4.8 million emergencies with an average response time of four minutes.

The minister said the Punjab government had undertaken several initiatives to further strengthen emergency services, including the introduction of an air ambulance service, expansion of fire services to tehsil level, rescue coverage on all motorways, a dead body transfer service, solarisation of rescue stations and the provision of modern rescue equipment. He said Rescue 1122 had also been provided with advanced urban search and rescue equipment, specialised rescue vehicles, hydraulic cutters, motorboats, life jackets, scuba diving equipment, fire tenders and new ambulances to improve emergency response in both urban and remote areas.

Congratulating Secretary Emergency Services Dr. Rizwan Naseer, the instructors and the entire Rescue 1122 team, Khawaja Salman Rafique expressed confidence that the graduating interns would play an important role in enhancing public safety through their professional skills and commitment to service. He also paid tribute to the instructors for successfully training more than 300 interns in just eight weeks.

Parliamentary Secretary for Forest and Wildlife Qasim Nadeem said he was proud that his late father had played a key role in laying the foundation of Rescue 1122. He congratulated Khawaja Salman Rafique and Dr. Rizwan Naseer on the successful conduct of the internship programme.

Addressing the ceremony, Secretary Emergency Services Dr. Rizwan Naseer described the Chief Minister’s Internship Programme as a historic initiative and said the best-performing interns would have the opportunity to join the rescue service. He said the training would enable them to protect lives in their respective communities and noted that the emergency service had been certified by the United Nations. Recalling the recent floods and the Covid-19 pandemic, he praised rescuers for their courage and dedication in saving lives during difficult circumstances.

Later, Khawaja Salman Rafique and Dr. Rizwan Naseer inspected the passing out parade and congratulated the graduating rescue interns.

Lahore: An anti-Corruption court (ACC) on Friday adjourned until July 25 the hearing of a corruption reference against former Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan and other accused over alleged irregularities in the award of Mines and Minerals contracts.

Judge Muhammad Jameel also sought arguments on Sibtain Khan’s plea for a fresh investigation and on the acquittal application, filed by co-accused and former Planning and Development Board Chairman Salman Ghani.

During the hearing, Sibtain Khan and other accused appeared before the court to attend the trial proceedings.

Salman Ghani’s counsel did not appear to argue the acquittal application, prompting the co-accused to seek more time. The court adjourned the proceedings until July 25 and directed counsel to complete arguments at the next hearing

Sibtain Khan is accused of awarding Mines and Minerals contracts to favoured individuals during his tenure as Punjab Minister for Mines and Minerals during PML-Q government. Other co-accused include former Mines and Minerals Secretary Imtiaz Ahmed Cheema, former Planning and Development Board Chairman Salman Ghani, and Punjab Chief Inspector of Mines Abdul Sattar.

Lahore: The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC), in collaboration with the Institute of Public Health (IPH), on Friday organised an orientation session for the Post-Graduate College of Nursing on the regulatory framework, Minimum Service Delivery Standards (MSDS) and the vital role of nurses in ensuring patient safety.

Held at the IPH, the session was part of PHC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the capacity of healthcare professionals through advocacy and orientation programmes focused on regulatory compliance, quality assurance and patient safety. More than 100 participants, including nursing faculty, professionals and students, attended the event.

Dean IPH Prof. Dr. Saira Afzal highlighted the pivotal role of nurses in strengthening the healthcare system and stressed the need for sustained efforts to overcome the shortage of nursing professionals, improve working conditions and invest in their professional development to ensure the delivery of safe and high-quality healthcare services.

Addressing the participants, PHC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Muhammad Saqib Aziz said nurses are at the forefront of patient care and play a critical role in preventing medical errors, reducing healthcare-associated infections and lowering patient morbidity and mortality. He said the consistent delivery of quality healthcare improves patient outcomes and enhances public trust in healthcare institutions.

Referring to examples of substandard practices despite existing regulations, Dr. Aziz stressed the need to strengthen accountability and promote a culture of responsibility to improve patient safety and healthcare quality. He encouraged nurses to pursue continuous learning, maintain professional excellence and embrace shared responsibility, adding that sustained improvements in healthcare standards benefit patients, healthcare professionals and the wider community. He also responded to participants’ questions during an interactive session.

Earlier, PHC Director Clinical Governance Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed delivered a presentation on the Commission’s regulatory framework, outlining its legislative mandate, regulatory responsibilities, licensing criteria, Minimum Service Delivery Standards and quality assurance mechanisms aimed at improving healthcare service delivery. He particularly emphasised the central role of nurses in implementing MSDS and promoting patient safety through compliance with regulatory standards.

Principal of the Post-Graduate College of Nursing Razia Shafique appreciated the continued collaboration between PHC and IPH in strengthening nursing education and professional development. She acknowledged the Commission’s efforts to promote regulatory awareness, patient safety and quality healthcare practices among nursing professionals and students through its advocacy initiatives.