After chairing a meeting of National Coordination Committee (NCC) Thursday Prime Minister Imran Khan cited rising cases of virus in the country with occupancy of beds in hospitals reaching almost forty percent across the country saying the chances of spread of the virus can be limited by only covering the face. Appealing again the nation to fully follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to avoid the spread of Covid-19 in the winter season Prime Minister Imran Khan said after Multan jalsa by opposition, as many as 64 percent beds have already been occupied. Emphasizing the importance of discipline in observing COVID Standard Operating Procedures Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated that wearing masks and keeping social distance will save people from the pandemic. He expressed that the more people gather together the more they are likely to spread COVID, elaborating that especially in the winter season, people assembling indoors are more susceptible to contract the viral infection due to the closed atmosphere. He noted about 40 percent of COVID patients are receiving treatments in hospitals, fearing that if the numbers increase, hospitals will soon be out of capacity and compared the situation with developed countries of Europe and America where in spite of resources the pandemic caused crises. On the Pakistan Democratic Movement rallies against his government, the PM said these least bothered him but were becoming super spreaders and posing risks to masses. They can postpone their political gatherings for two- to three months, Prime Minister Imran Khan said adding that COVID is raging on exhausting hospital beds and affecting healthcare workers. The Prime Minister pointed out that the wedding halls, restaurants and schools have been shut down as part of efforts to control the pandemic. He said we have also taken the religious scholars on board to ensure compliance of SOPs at the mosques. Imran Khan recalled that the nation fully observed the SOPs and demonstrated great discipline during the first wave of the virus which saved the country from its devastating effects witnessed in a neighbouring country. He said we need to observe the same precaution now to protect the lives and livelihoods. Prime Minister Imran Khan has stressed for completing the process of administrative approval of housing projects at the earliest. Imran Khan also emphasized that environmental protection should be take care of in the construction projects. The provincial chief secretaries gave a detailed briefing to the meeting about the housing projects approved so far. The Secretary Petroleum apprised the meeting about the modus operandi for provision of gas to the housing projects. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz Thursday said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had entered into a blind alley with announcing its step of en mass resignations from assemblies in haste, which created fissures in the 11-party alliance. Parliamentary resignations were considered as the last card in politics, which the opposition leaders played before time in their quest for the power, he said here while addressing a press conference. The PDM leaders, he said, used the en mass resignations as a ‘blackmailing’ tool without doing any homework as there were a number of legal complexities, which would ensue from their act. The minister said the Pakistan Peoples Party would never want to lose its provincial government in Sindh while PDM chief Maulana Fazl ur Rehman had a plan to take revenge from both the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for abandoning him during his last year’s long march to Islamabad. Quitting the assemblies by the members of PDM constituent parties would strengthen the position of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the upcoming Senate election, he maintained.