ْQUETTA: Balochistan’s Provincial Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran has issued a stern warning that no negligence will be tolerated in matters of public health, following reported outbreaks of cholera and measles in two districts of the province.
During a telephonic briefing with District Health Officer (DHO) Musakhel, Dr Abdul Ghaffar, the minister was informed that eight people, including six children, had died due to a cholera outbreak in Chena Khundi. Meanwhile, in Union Council Lakhi, six measles-related deaths were recorded over the past two months, with two recent additional fatalities.
Dr Ghaffar assured the minister that emergency measures had controlled the cholera situation, while extensive vaccination campaigns and medical camps were underway to contain the measles outbreak.
Taking serious note, Khetran directed health authorities to immediately establish two emergency medical units in the affected areas on humanitarian grounds. He also placed all relevant departments on high alert and instructed health officials to ensure continuous monitoring and diligent response to prevent further loss of life.
The minister reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to safeguarding citizens’ health and warned that any lapse in duty would be dealt with strictly.
Meanwhile Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri, a senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former chief minister of Balochistan, has alleged that sustained “political engineering” by the military establishment orchestrated the downfall of his elected government in 2018, severely damaging democracy in the province.
Zehri’s allegations came in reaction to the recent court-martial and sentencing of retired General Faiz Hameed. He stated that the accountability measures have “revived long-suppressed truths” about institutional interference in Balochistan’s politics.
The former chief minister claimed that despite constitutional prohibitions, former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the then-DG ISI, General Faiz Hameed, repeatedly meddled in political affairs. He singled out his government’s removal via a no-confidence motion as a direct result of this interference.
