Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday directed for immediate activation of the Corona Tiger Force at provincial level as around 739,000 youngsters have already registered themselves to join the volunteers’ body for relief works during the lockdown.

During a meeting with the prime minister, Special Assistant on Youth Affairs Usman Dar updated him and consulted with him on the operational matters of the force. The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the report, a PM Office press release said.

On the prime minister’s directive, the live update of the Tiger Force has also been made public and linked with the government’s official portal of Covid-19. Now the people can view the live update of the force at http://crt.covid.gov.pk.

Usman Dar told the prime minister that majority of those who have registered for the volunteers’ force are students and social workers, besides doctors, political workers, engineers, teachers, lawyers, journalists, retired armed forces officers and people from the corporate sector.

Among the total registered people, 494,000 hail from Punjab, 111,000 from Sindh, 102,000 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 10,000 from Islamabad, 9,000 from Balochistan and 8,000 from Azad Kashmir.

The prime minister lauded the passion shown by the youth and said he is hopeful of such a national spirit by them in the difficult time. Prime Minister Imran Khan said the government is taking all possible measures to equip the doctors and medical staff with the required protective gears on priority basis.

He was presiding over a meeting held here to review the situation of Coronavirus in the country. Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal and Special Assistant on Health Dr Zafar Mirza briefed the prime minister in detail about the latest situation of coronavirus and the measures being taken to take care of the people affected by the disease.

The prime minister was told that at present 3300 ventilators are available in 136 hospitals across the country, and the NDMA is in direct contact with the hospitals’ administration to ensure the provision of protection kits to doctors and other medical workers. The NDMA chairman told the participants that with 49,500 protective kits already provided to various hospitals in all the provinces, the provision of more protection kits to hospitals will be completed in a day or two. The participants were apprised that special attention is being given to enhance the capacity of coronavirus testing on a daily basis and in this respect, steps are being taken on priority. Besides, measures are also being taken to ensure the availability of technical staff and their training.

The prime minister, while talking about the continuity of economic activities in the wake of situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak with particular focus on providing relief to the poor after the comprehensive incentives package announced by him for the construction industry, directed that the fruits of this sector’s revival should reach the poor and downtrodden especially the laborers. He said the funds allocated for Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) should be spent on projects related to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).