From Abid Usman
LAHORE: President Dr Arif Alvi said on Wednesday that coronavirus was not a political but a national issue and the government, entire nation and all institutions were making joint efforts to get rid of the pandemic.
He expressed these views while chairing a briefing by the Punjab government regarding ‘COVID-19: Prevention, Mitigation and Control’ here at Darbar Hall of the Civil Secretariat. Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, provincials ministers Muhammad Basharat Raja, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Aslam Iqbal and Fyyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan, Punjab Chief Secretary Maj (Retd) Azam Suleman Khan, Punjab IG Police Shoaib Dastagir and relevant departments secretaries attended the meeting.
The president was briefed about performance of various departments including Health Department to contain coronavirus spread, continuation of educational activities, lockdown and exemptions, heat mapping, CM’s Insaf Imdad Programme and all other steps taken so far by the provincial government.
President Dr Arif Alvi commended the Punjab government efforts in fighting coronavirus. He, however, stressed the need for early supply of ration and financial support to the needy and deserving families, whose wages/sources of income had been affected severely due to prevailing situation.
The way the country’s institutions were performing and their working was improving, he hope that it would lay the basis for the New Pakistan.
The president directed the authorities concerned to ensure that owners of those industrial units functioning presently were adhering strictly to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the advisory/guidelines to protect their labourers/workers from corona pandemic. Secondly, these industrial labourers should also be issued standard identity numbers/passes so that they could not face any difficulty on their way to the workplaces and home during the lockdown and imposition of Section 144.
Dr Arif Alvi also stressed the need for taking ulema on board while deciding about prayers and other religious congregations, especially Taraveeh during upcoming holy month of Ramazan if the lockdown continues for maintaining social distancing.
