Daily Times

On the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, an anti-polio campaign has been launched across the province.

A special ceremony was being organized with regard to launching anti-polio campaign at CM Office. Provincial Health Minister Dr. Yasmeen Rashid, Provincial Housing Minister Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, Chief Secretary Maj (r) Azam Suleman Khan, Principal Secretary to CM, Secretary Primary & Secondary Healthcare and Additional Secretary Health inaugurated anti-polio campaign by administering polio drops to the children. Sardar Usman Buzdar said that this campaign will continue for five days in Punjab being launched from today.

Approximately two crore children below the age of five years will be administered anti-polio drops. More than ninety thousand health workers and supervisors will participate in this special campaign. Chief Minister directed Deputy Commissioners to go out in the field in order to supervise anti-polio campaign. Parents should cooperate with anti-polio teams and get their children administered anti-polio drops, he added. Punjab will be made polio-free province and war against polio is the war for safeguarding future of infants in which triumph is the only option.

We will safeguard our children from this fatal disease, he vowed. He further directed health department and district administration to ensure 100 percent implementation on the devised anti-polio plan and endeavours being made for the eradication of polio amount to Jihad. It is our responsibility to apprise the masses about the benefits of polio vaccine especially to the parents, he maintained. No negligence and inefficiency will be tolerated during anti-polio campaign. Dr Yasmin Rashid said that it is our national obligation to safeguard children from polio and every children will be given polio vaccine during current month. Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed said that elimination of polio is our foremost priority and every segment of society has to play its proactive role for ensuring success of anti-polio campaign, he concluded.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar congratulated the Pakistan team for winning the Kabaddi World Cup 2020. In a statement, he added that Pakistan Kabaddi Federation, as well as provincial sports department, deserves accolades for holding this international event.

Pakistani players have brought laurels home by defeating traditional rival India after a tough competition, he said. The peaceful holding of this event is another victory of Pakistan and a new history has been written. Similarly, the soft image of the country has been projected, he added. On the other side, the passion shown by the spectators was praiseworthy and the presence of a large number of people shows that Pakistanis are peaceful and love sports.

Different games like Kabaddi bring the people closer and bridge gaps, he maintained. Usman Buzdar said that sports also play a role in the promotion of societal harmony and peace in society. I desire that competitions of cricket, hockey and other sports should also be held between Pakistan and India and the government will hold international tournaments of such sports in Punjab as well, concluded the chief minister.

Separately, Buzdar expressed sorrow and grief over the loss of precious human lives due to gas leakage in Kemari area of Karachi. He extended sympathies to the bereaved families and prayed for early recovery of the injured. Buzdar also called the 25th meeting of the provincial cabinet at CM Office today to discuss a 22-point agenda. Ministers, advisers, special assistants, Chief Secretary and concerned secretaries will attend the meeting.

Also, Buzdar has taken notice of torture of the youth in Dinga area of Gujrat and sought a report from the DPO. He directed to take action against the persons involved in torture.

Meanwhile, the police have registered the case and a team has been constituted under DSP Kharian to arrest the accused.