LAHORE: While giving a clear-cut message to the leaders of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said that there is no justification of holding rallies and public meetings under current situation of Covid-19 and the law will take its course if someone found violating health guidelines issued to contain the deadly virus.
"There is no justification of holding public meetings under the recent situation of the corona pandemic and the government will not allow anyone to compromise the lives of common man under any pretext. The law will take its course in case of violations of the Covid-19 SOPs," the chief minister was quoted as having said in a statement issued on Sunday.
He claimed that the coronavirus was about to be eradicated from the country but the 'highly-irresponsible' attitude of the opposition parties gave this virus a new life. "These rejected elements (PDM leaders) first spread the virus of corruption and now they were becoming the source of multiplying the virus (Covid-19) by holding public meetings," he added.
According to Buzdar, the second wave of Covid-19 has become dangerous with having non-traditional symptoms; therefore, preventive measures are utmost necessary. He also cautioned the political opponents that the government will never allow anyone to challenge the writ of the state.
"Protecting the masses from the virus is the need of the hour rather than holding public gatherings. The government is making serious efforts for preventing the second wave of the virus from any further spread but the rejected elements are busy in doing Jalsa politics," Buzdar claimed.
Meanwhile, the chief minister directed all the commissioners and deputy commissioners to start a five-day anti-polio campaign in Punjab from today. While directing the commissioners and deputy commissioners to personally monitor the campaign, the CM said that 2,000 vaccinators will be recruited in order to make polio vaccination more effective. He further directed to pay special attention on anti-campaign in Lahore and some affected districts of South Punjab. He termed the polio as a challenge for the nation.
He warned that concerned deputy commissioners will be questioned if the polio cases and environment samples found positive. He said that tempering in data during the anti-polio campaign will not be tolerated, adding that 3,500 micro plans have also been evolved to make the campaign result-oriented. "More than 250,000 officers and officials are participating in the campaign," he said, adding that polio vaccine will be administered to over 1.92 crore children under the age of five years in Punjab.
Earlier in the day, a meeting of the Provincial Task Force for Eradicating Polio was held at the CM Office in which it emerged that the polio situation has improved in 13 districts of Punjab but some 10 other districts of the province need more attention as the situation is not satisfactory over there.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.