Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Saturday announced that 200,000 patients will be given free medicines at their doorsteps.

Addressing the ceremony in Lahore, she said that the project of home delivery of medicines was started by Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif, in which medicines were delivered to the homes of hepatitis and tuberculosis patients.

Maryam Nawaz stated: “Unfortunately, instead of increasing this facility in the previous tenures, this project was terminated and people were deprived of free medicines. Home delivery service of medicines had become a dream and an idea, however, we relaunched it and the scope has been extended to the whole of Punjab”.

Chief minister added that the people performing the delivery service are wearing protective gear. I am happy to see them, I will take medicine to few houses. Two months stock will be delivered at home and after two months, the patients will be re-examined and if the medicine has to be continued, then the stock will be distributed to the people.

She continued to say that she is trying to follow the guidance of Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif. ‘I congratulate the entire health department and hope that after five years when we leave Punjab, no one will be deprived of any treatment facility here. We also launched 32 field hospitals, these are mini-hospitals’.

Maryam further said: “We will launch about 200 clinics on wheels in the coming days in urban areas. We are building the first state-of-the-art cancer clinic in Lahore, within a year it outdoor department should be operational. The League-N government brings good plans but then comes mischief here, instead of moving forward, the country goes back decades.

The Chief Minister of Punjab further stated that this nation is abused and oppressed when the politics of PML-N is abolished. Take any ministry and see the conditions there, we have to start working there again.

She also added; “We are going to start air ambulance in Punjab, it is for poor patients, through this we will be able to save many lives”.

Islamabad: Pakistan and Nigeria have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation, especially in the economic domain.

The understanding to this effect came during the meeting of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar with his Nigerien counterpart, Bakary Yaou Sangare, on the sidelines of the 15th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit in Banjul.

The two sides also discussed coordination within the OIC framework and agreed to continue working closely to advance the collective interest within the OIC and beyond.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar appreciated Niger's support to Pakistan at various regional and international platforms and its principled stance on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

Foreign Minister Sangare reiterated Niger's consistent position on the Kashmir dispute, emphasizing solidarity with Pakistan's stance at the international stage.

On the other hand, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also met the Lord Mayor of Banjul City Rohi Malik Lu and discussed the role of women and youth in development and social development.

Cairo (AFP): Hamas said that its delegation was heading to Cairo on Saturday to resume Gaza truce talks.

Fundamental disagreements between the warring sides remain as Hamas seeks a permanent ceasefire while Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vows to crush Hamas fighters in Rafah.

More to follow....