RECORDER REPORT

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, here on Sunday announced the release of Rs500 million on the emergency basis for purchase of essential and inevitable equipment and other allied items to fight against coronavirus across the province.

Ajmal Wazir while announcement the government emergency initiative during a news conference here, said that coronavirus is an international issue and not confined to Pakistan alone. However our level of preparedness is matching and taken all out efforts to knock down it at all level before it becomes an unhandled challenge. He said the provincial cabinet in its recently held meeting had taken a number of steps relaxing rules and regulations for making urgently required procurement to counter coronavirus in the province.

Out of the total Rs8 billion, the government has made Rs5 billions for the purpose through multifaceted efforts to meet all challenges against coronavirus. He assured to take all the cabinet decisions to implementation stage against coronavirus in the province, advising the people not to be scared of it but sent a cautious to be educated and well aware of this pandemic.

The government is going all out and rose to the occasion and appealed to the journalists to put their share of mass scale public awareness against pandemic effects of coronavirus in the province.

Referring to the government efforts taken so far, CM Advisor reminded that saving the people is first and foremost responsibility and curative steps have been taken on war footings. However prevention is the best cure to knockdown this pandemic. Our people are resilient and have the wherewithal to fight coronavirus as this nation suffered floods, earthquakes and terrorism and posed a brave face in all natural and man-mad calamities in the recent past.

He was optimistic that the nation will successfully fight out coronavirus adding there is about 7,000 to 8,000 people mobility at Pak-Afghan border and there is complete screening infrastructure and screening is taking place continuously.

CM advisor said that there is complete ban on gathering and congregation beyond 50 or more in the province, adding that the district administrations have been empowered to take all outsteps wherever required in the given situation.

He said the provincial government had a special high powered task force which the Chief Minister himself is leading to effectively counter corona virus in the province adding that this is a challenge requiring continuous monitoring and focus and should be taken seriously. Even the provincial Assembly’s meeting was postponed. 1200 isolation wards have been established. Health workers have been deployed in the Airport etc. 36 tests have been conducted, 27 found negative and 9 are yet to be determined.

Referring to a question, Ajmal Wazir said that screening of all Chinese living in KP have been completed and even those working with Chinese have also been screened. He said that local volunteers have been put on red alert and because of all out efforts, there is dim chances that the coronavirus might make inroads in KP.

He said we cannot close down the shopping plazas and bazars in the province but will take steps on the basis of any abnormality in the coming days. Ajmal advised the Ulema, social and political leadership and the media to rise to the occasion and contribute to the collective cause of awareness raising campaign throughout the province.