Daily Times

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that Punjab government has taken many important decisions regarding prevention from coronavirus and treatment of patients along with other precautionary measures.

So far, coronavirus has been diagnosed in 96 patients in Punjab, including 76 pilgrims arriving from Iran, 15 cases from Lahore, three from Gujrat, one from Jhelum and one from Rawalpindi.

He added that 1,250 pilgrims have reached the quarantine centre Multan, who are being properly looked after. The Punjab government has prepared SOPs with regard to keeping isolation at homes which will be shared with the federal government and then implementation on them will be ensured.

Usman Buzdar was giving a briefing to media with regard to steps taken for the prevention of coronavirus. He stated that health emergency has been imposed in Punjab and cabinet committee holds daily meetings in connection with regard to corona. Cabinet committee reviews all the conditions and recommends steps to be undertaken and take decisions to safeguard the lives of the masses. He further said that Punjab government has released funds worth Rs8 billion immediately for health department and PDMA while one thousand bedded field hospital will also be set up at Expo Centre Lahore for which directions have been given. Arrangements will also be made for admitting patients in private hospitals and hotels. Our doctors and paramedical staff are standing on the front line in order to cope up with coronavirus and I pay tributes to my doctors and paramedical staff, he commended. Punjab government will grant special package to doctors and paramedical staff for effectively dealing with coronavirus.

A committee has also been constituted under the headship of provincial law minister to resolve problems of the doctors. We will induct 8 to 10 thousand doctors and paramedical staff in the prevailing emergency situation. He further maintained that no daily wages employees will be dismissed from his employment and they will keep on receiving salaries. A committee has also been constituted under the headship of finance minister in this regard. He further said that the Punjab government will set up quarantine centre consisting of 10 thousand beds in 24 hours. It also have the capability and competence and all our preparations have been completed in this regard.

Usman Buzdar further pays compliments to chief minister Balochistan for properly looking after those pilgrims which belong to Punjab and have arrived from Taftan. Punjab government will provide funds worth Rs1 billion to Balochistan government while Chief Minister Fund is also being established in Punjab and philanthropists have given their complete assurance to contribute generously in this fund. He further said that Punjab government has granted funds to health department amounting to Rs236 million which have been spent and health department has its own mechanism for purchasing necessary equipments and other instruments. A few equipments are purchased at federal level and the remaining on provincial level. He further told that next cabinet meetings will be held via video link and very important officers will participate in this video link meeting. All these measures are proof of our determination that we and the masses are standing side by side in this war. In reply to a question, Usman Buzdar said that everybody do not need to wear mask. Few politicians are only criticising despite this national issue. In reply to another question, Usman Buzdar said that he can only pray for such persons. Provincial Ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mussarat Jamshed Cheema MPA, Chief Secretary, Secretary SH&ME, Principal Secretary to CM, Secretary P&SH and Secretary Information also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Usman Buzdar has assigned duties to provincial ministers, advisors and special assistants to review steps being taken for controlling coronavirus in their assigned districts.

According to details, Provincial Minister for Public Prosecution Ch. Zaheer-Uddin will monitor coronavirus related situation in Faisalabad. Similarly, Provincial Minister for Sports Muhammad Taimoor Khan in Jhang, Provincial Minister for Cooperatives Mehr Muhammad Aslam in Chiniot, Provincial Minister for Women Development Aashfa Riaz in Toba Tek Singh, Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid in Lahore, Population Welfare Minister Muhammad Hashmi Dogar in Kasur, Wildlife and Fisheries Minister Malik Asad Ali in Nankana Sahib, Disaster Management Minister Mian Khalid Mahmood in Sheikhupura, Literacy Minister Raja Rashid Hafeez in Rawalpindi, Minister for Mines Hafiz Ammar Yasir in Jhelum, Minister for Higher Education & IT Yasir Hamayun in Chakwal, Minister for Revenue Anwar in Attock, Minister for Labour Ansar Majid Khan Niazi in Sargodha, Minister for Forests Muhammad Sibtain Khan in Mianwali, Minister for Excise & Taxation Mumtaz Ahmed in Khushab, Minister for Housing Mian Mahmood-ur-Rashid in Gujranwala, Minister for Environment Muhammad Rizwan in Gujrat, Minister for CMIT Muhammad Ajmal Cheema in Mandi Bahauddin, Minister for Auqaf Pir Syed Saeed ud Hassan in Narowal, Minister for Special Education Muhammad Akhlaq in Sialkot, Agriculture Minister Malik Nauman Ahmed Langrial in Sahiwal, Minister for Consolidation Syed Sumsam Ali Bukhari in Okara, Food Minister Samiullah Ch. in Bahawalpur, Provincial Minister for Zakat & Ushr Shaukat Ali Laleka in Bahawalnagar, Irrigation Minister Muhammad Mohsin Khan Leghari in RY Khan, Energy Minister Muhammad Akhtar Malik in Multan, Provincial Minister Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi in Khanewal, Minister for Transport Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan Khichi in Vehari, Minister for Livestock & Dairy Development Sardar Hasnain Bahadur Dreshak in Rajanpur, Minister for Prisons Zawar Hussain Warraich in Lodhran, Special Assistant for Forests Ameer Muhammad Khan in Bhakar, Special Assistant for Youth Affairs & Sports Umer Faroorq in Hafizabad, Special Assistant for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Syed Rafaqat Ali Gillani in Layyah, Advisor for Livestock & Dairy Development Faisal Hayat in Pakpattan, Health Advisor Muhammad Hanif Pitafi in DG Khan and Advisor for Agriculture Abdul Hai Dasti will perform duties in Muzaffargarh.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has directed the ministers, advisors, special assistants to immediately visit their assigned districts and further directed them to submit daily reports after reviewing steps being taken in collaboration with district administration, health and other line departments. We will win this war at every cost by exerting joint efforts as the Punjab government took timely steps earlier than other provinces. The provincial government took this issue on January 3rd and the government is standing with the people in this hour of trial, concluded the chief minister.

Buzdar also said that the next cabinet committee meetings will be held via video link from today onwards and very important officers will participate in this meeting via video link.