By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi on Monday asked all provincial governors and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir president to enhance coordination between the federation and the provinces to stem the coronavirus pandemic.
Presiding over a consultative conference via video link, he sought proposals to overcome the challenge.
All governors shared their opinion and gave a briefing on the Covid-19 situation in their respective provinces.
They lauded the measures the federal government has thus far taken against the spread of the contagion, expressing satisfaction over the level of cooperation in term of supply of medical equipment and financial assistance under the Ehsaas programme.
A resolution was adopted, condemning Indian security forces’ shelling on the Line of Control and denying access to medical facilities to the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir while using the corona pandemic as an excuse to further prolong the lockdown imposed by India for the last eight months.
The meeting also lauded the Centre’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme and other initiatives in wake of the outbreak of the infection. It also praise health workers tending Covid-19 patients across the country.
President Dr. Arif Alvi on Monday chaired a consultative conference with all provincial governors and the president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to seek their cooperation and suggestions on meeting the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic.
President AJK Masood Khan, Governor Punjab Chaudhary Muhammad Sarwar, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail, Governor Balochistan Amanullah Khan Yasinzai, Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Shah Farman, Governor Gilgit Baltistan Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon and Special Assistant to PM on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza attended the meeting.
All the governors presented their respective views and briefed President Alvi about the situation arising out of the current pandemic and appreciated the measures taken by the government against the spread of COVID-19.
The President of AJK and the governors expressed satisfaction over the level of cooperation on medical equipment and financial assistance under the Ehsas Programme, being provided to provinces by the federal government.
They appreciated cooperation of Ulema and people in complying with the health guidelines provided by the government in view of Corona pandemic.
The president advised the governors to further enhance coordination with provinces as well as with the federation in order to effectively combat the disease.
The meeting adopted unanimous resolution condemning the shelling of Indian security forces on Line of Control and denying access to medical facilities to the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir while using corona pandemic as an excuse to further prolong the lockdown.
The meeting supported the idea of smart lockdown that allowed only essential industries like healthcare, food and energy to operate.
The meeting appreciated the prime minister’s statement on the need for debt relief and expressed satisfaction over the situation of crops in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as both the provinces had benefited from good rains this year.
The meeting especially lauded the services of healthcare workers and others providing essential services.
