Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has set up Rs 5 billion special fund to deal with coronavirus and ordered an indiscriminate crackdown on the mafias involved in hoarding of masks and sanitizers.
He was presiding over a meeting of the cabinet committee at his office on Thursday to review the precautionary measures being taken for overcoming the coronavirus.
He said that Rs 236 million have been issued to the Health Department and one billion rupees were allocated as well, he added. The government would provide more resources to safeguard the lives of people. The chief minister ordered for arranging diagnostic kits as soon as possible, adding that there should be no shortage of the kits.
Implementation of the decisions made in the provincial apex committee be ensured, as the government would continue adopting necessary steps to save lives of people, added the CM.
He said the Punjab government wanted to set up a quarantine facility in Taftan with its resources and directed the line departments to take steps in this regard in collaboration with the Balochistan government.
The meeting also reviewed the proposal of shutting down shopping malls and restaurants at 7pm or 8pm, and the chief minister directed the committees concerned to review it and submit their conclusive recommendations at the earliest.
He said the role of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) was very important in the current situation and asked its director general (DG) to review the situation in the field. The chief minister directed him to submit reports of districts’ tours to the CM Office daily. He said that people could not be left alone in difficult circumstances. The CM said that self-isolation in homes would produce positive results and added that people should be educated about it.
He also ordered to complete the process of conducting tests of pilgrims coming from Iran at the earliest and added that implementation of the precautionary measures be ensured in the light of the World Health Organisation (WHO) instructions. The government was aware of financial problems of daily-wage employees and a committee had been constituted which would submit its recommendations at the earliest, he said.
The meeting also reviewed stopping wedding ceremonies at homes as well. He said the number of employees had been sufficiently decreased in government offices. The chief minister said that purchase process of safety dress and other material for doctors and paramedical staff be completed at the earliest and the Health Department should submit a report to the cabinet committee every day.
The secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare gave a briefing to the participants. Provincial ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan, MPA Mussarat Jamshed Cheema, chief secretary, IG Police, Senior Member Board of Revenue, additional chief secretary (home), commissioner Lahore, administrative secretaries and others attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar announced to provide free of cost ration to families of the poor persons affected by corona virus till their complete recovery throughout the province.
Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar held a meeting over anti-corona issues. Provincial Law Minister Raja Muhammad Basharat, Chief Secretary and others also attended the meeting.
Governor, Chief Minister and other participants expressed the resolve to win the war against coronavirus. While Mian Ahsan from Lahore Institute of Health Sciences, a welfare organization, Anwaar Ghani and Gohar Ejaz gave 50 million to Punjab Governor as donation for Corona Emergency Fund.
According to details, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar held meeting at Governor House Lahore on Thursday, while Provincial Law Minister Raja Muhammad Basharat, Punjab Chief Secretary Maj. (Retd) Azam Suleman and Punjab Governor’s Principal Secretary Dr. Rashid Mansoor were also present. On this occasion, Punjab Chief Secretary briefed the meeting about the steps taken by Health and other departments to curb corona spread, closure of markets and other matters in this regard.
Talking about Corona Telemedicine Web Portal and Mobile Application, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said that over Rs 70 million donations have been deposited in Corona Emergency Fund, and more than 200 doctors are performing duties at Corona Telemedicine Web Portal. “I am monitoring all the affairs on daily basis, and we have decided to provide free of cost ration to the families of all the poor patients of corona virus in the province till their complete recovery,” he said and added that ration package will contain flour 20kg, rice 10kg, milk 20 liters, sugar 10kg, pulses 5kg, five packets of tea and two dozens of soaps. Presently, more than 40 NGOs are working jointly under Punjab Development Network of Welfare Organizations, and we are not only providing maximum facilities to corona patients and their families but also creating awareness about corona virus hazards. During the meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said that war against coronavirus is the war of every Pakistan and Punjab government is working 24 hours and all possible measures are being ensured to save the masses from dreadful virus. In this situation, people also have the responsibility to fully adopt the precautionary measures against corona.
“Together, we all have to save our people from corona epidemic,” he said and mentioned that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, federal government is in constant liaison with all the provinces including Punjab, and the nation is also getting united against corona virus.
