Linking outbreak of coronavirus with religious Sects, inappropriate: Shehryar Afridi

• He said the committee was making all possible efforts to bring back Zaireen (pilgrims) from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Saudia Arabia and other countries of the world.
• The committee directed to submit details of all Zaireen living in all quarantine centers of the country to have a better understanding of the complexities.
• He said the government was making uniformed policy for the repatriation of Pakistani students or stranded Pakistanis in different countries.

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Shehryar Khan Afridi Thursday said that linking outbreak of Coronavirus with religious sects was inappropriate.

Chairing a meeting of committee constituted to facilitate the repatriation of members of Tableeghi Jamat, Zaireen and Pakistanis stuck up in different countries due to corona virus,he said that the government was well aware of the problems of Zaireen.

He said the committee was making all possible efforts to bring back Zaireen (pilgrims) from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Saudia Arabia and other countries of the world.

The committee was apprised with the issues of zaireen in quarantine while seeking its indulgence to direct the administration to make Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to separate the healthy zaireen from infected in quarantine centers to save them from infection.

The committee directed to submit details of all Zaireen living in all quarantine centers of the country to have a better understanding of the complexities.

The committee also directed to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the Health department in quarantine centers, provide more testing kits in the centers and who were tested negative would be sent home.

He said the government was making uniformed policy for the repatriation of Pakistani students or stranded Pakistanis in different countries or imprisoned in jails adding all returning home would have to follow the guidelines.

The committee also considered an option to open airports other than Islamabad for flight operation.

The committee also directed to take extra measures to provide comfort to the infected people in quarantine camps and ensure provision of quality food and other utilities as per their requirements.