Hafiz Naeemur Rehman strongly opposes the Punjab govt’s move to outsource Basic Health Units & Rural Health Centres

LAHORE, April 12 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has strongly opposed the Punjab government’s move to outsource Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs), warning that any attempt to terminate the services of doctors, nurses, or paramedical staff will be met with serious resistance.

Addressing a sit-in protest organized by the Grand Health Alliance Punjab on Lahore’s Mall Road, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said Jamaat-e-Islami fully supports the alliance and will stand shoulder to shoulder with them in their struggle.

He questioned Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s silence on the issue, particularly regarding the participation of women healthcare workers in the protest. “Why is a woman chief minister indifferent to the plight of protesting women?” he asked.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the public is well aware of how the current government came into power, saying it is relying on the establishment and “Form 47” rather than genuine electoral support. “This is a government running on contracts, and now it seeks to hand over basic public services like health to private contractors as well,” he added.

Lashing out at the ruling Sharif family, he said that Maryam Nawaz is following in the footsteps of her father and uncle, who governed Punjab with a similar autocratic style. “Their interest lies in attaching their names to public institutions rather than genuinely serving the people,” he remarked.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief asserted that it is the state’s responsibility to provide affordable, quality healthcare and education. “Governments are meant to safeguard the dignity, life, property, and security of citizens – not snatch away their rights,” he said.

He further stated that although he was scheduled to travel to Karachi for the Gaza Million March, he deemed it equally important to express solidarity with those raising their voice for their rights in Lahore. “Jamaat-e-Islami will not allow the government to privatize public institutions,” he vowed.

Praising the protestors, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said those standing up for their rights today are the true pride of the nation. He called on them to reflect on the role of mainstream political parties, which, according to him, are absent when it comes to addressing real public issues. “Political parties have become family-run enterprises and one-man shows. Only Jamaat-e-Islami consistently takes a stand on people’s problems,” he asserted.

He concluded by announcing full support from Jamaat-e-Islami’s National Labour Federation and party leadership, saying they will act as a fortified wall alongside the protesting healthcare workers.