The employees of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) called off their strike after meeting with the Minister of State for Capital Administration & Development Division (CADD), Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. The Minister assured them that majority of their concerns will be addressed in the proposed legislation which will be tabled in the Standing Committee of National Assembly on Cabinet in the next few days.
The Minister visited PIMS in the morning and held meeting with the representatives of Joint Action Committee of the protesting employees and listened to their demands. The Minister also addressed the protesting employees of PIMS and assured them that their interests will be safeguarded in any future dispensation in the PIMS.
In his address, the Dr. Tariq said that there is a communication gap between the PIMS employees and the management of the hospital as the Government is already working on the same lines which the employees are demanding in their protests. He said that the management of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University and PIMS hospital will be separated for efficient management of the affairs of the two organizations. He said that the University will stay autonomous and the previous status of PIMS will be restored under separate administration as a legislative proposal to this effect is already in the advanced stage which will be presented to the Standing Committee very soon. He also assured that the employees of PIMS will enjoy the status of civil servant and will be entitled to all the benefits received by other regular civil servants.
He was of the view that two sectors of social service i.e health and education must be kept above all kinds of materialistic politics. He informed the audience that the Prime Minister takes keen interest in improving the service quality in these two sectors and he had provided funds for PIMS from his discretionary fund. The Minister said that improving the performance of PIMS hospital and the medical university of his city is his personal target. Once PIMS was among the best hospitals in the country and the present Government will make it a model hospital once again, he added.
The representatives of the JAC called off the strike after assurances by the Minister and thanked him for visiting the hospital and meeting the employees.
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