Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has approved the establishment of four additional diagnostic labs for coronavirus in the province. In the first phase, labs will be set up in Sialkot and Sargodha while the facility will be provided in Rahim Yar Khan and Gujrat in the next phase.
This was decided in a video link meeting of cabinet committee for the eradication of coronavirus which met here on Wednesday at CM’s Office with CM Usman Buzdar in the chair. The meeting was briefed about the smart lockdown and phase-wise opening of industrial units during Ramazan-ul-Mubarak. While directing the Health Department to speed up its work, the CM told that upgradation of labs in the Institute of Public Health and TB Control Programme had been completed and this facility was also provided to Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Nishtar Hospital Multan and THQ Hospital Wazirabad. In the meantime, the daily diagnostics testing capacity of Punjab has reached to 4500 and new labs in Bahawalpur, DG Khan and Rawalpindi will be made functional in the next few days, he informed. During the last 24 hours, 2247 persons have been tested while more than 64000 citizens have undergone coronavirus tests in Punjab, till Wednesday. The total number of coronavirus patients in Punjab is 4431, he added. The CM emphasized that practice of doing business with shutters down will not be allowed and the shop will be challenged and sealed under the anti-corona ordinance in case of violation. He explained that Tandoors, milk and yoghurt shops will remain open during Sehri in Ramazan-ul-Mubarak while the restaurants will remain closed during Sehri and Iftar. Similarly, implementation of 20 points safety strategy will be ensured for performing Namaz-e-Taraweeh and five prayers during Ramazan-ul-Mubarak and legal action will be initiated against the industry in case of SOPs’ violation. 216 localities have, so far, been locked down in Punjab, he further told.
The meeting also pondered over medical facilities for coronavirus patients, provision of PPEs and steps relating to partial lockdown. Provincial Minister Raja Basharat, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Chief Secretary, IG Police, Commissioner Lahore, secretaries of finance and information departments, Chairman PITB and military officials attended the meeting from CMO while SMBR, ACS (Home), secretaries of Health, P&D, Labour, Industries, Agriculture and Local Government and Community Development departments and others participated through video link.
Also, the Punjab government has issued gazette notification of The Punjab Prevention of Hoarding Ordinance, 2020. Under this ordinance, hoarders can be punished up to three years imprisonments and 50 per cent amount of confiscated material will be deposited in national exchequer while the concerned officer could also check the godown of any dealer without a warrant. Similarly, dealers would be bound to deposit their record of production, import and export, staff strength, sales and distribution with the concerned officers. In this regard, the CM Usman Buzdar stated that the ordinance has been issued for taking stern action against those creating artificial crisis through hoarding. Action will be initiated against those hoarding 41 essential items and whistle-blower will be given ten per cent of the deposited amount. Meanwhile, the hoarding offence will be non-bailable. He further said that hoarders are the public enemy and indiscriminate crackdown will be initiated against them because public interest is most dear to the government and any artificial price-hike will never be allowed.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister directed to suspend Irrigation Department’s Head Balloki XEN for showing poor performance and negligence in performing official duties. He reiterated that delay in public interest projects will never be tolerated as there is no room for negligence or laxity. He directed the govt officers to deliver so that public interest projects could be timely completed. Those who will not give results will not continue in Punjab while the honest and dutiful officers will be encouraged, the CM asserted.
Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also sought a report from RPO Sahiwal about an incident of kidnap-cum-murder of a child in the Depalpur and directed to early arrest the criminals for legal action against them.
Buzdar also sought a report from RPO Gujranwala about kidnap-cum-murder of a girl in the precinct of PS Gojra in Mandi Bahauddin. He directed to take legal action against the captured offender. Meanwhile, police have registered a case and recovered firearm after arresting father of the deceased girl.
Buzdar also condoled the death of famous wrestler and Olympian Haji Muhammad Afzal Sher-e-Pakistan due to coronavirus in New York, USA. He has extended sympathies to the bereaved heirs adding that services of Haji Muhammad Afzal in the field of wrestling will be remembered till lately.
