LAHORE   -  Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has approved BSL-III labs in Multan and Rahim Yar Khan to provide corona tests facilities to the people.

This was decided in a meeting of the Cabinet Committee for the Eradication of Corona held under the chair of the Chief Minister on Monday.  Secretary Primary and Secondary Health briefed about the current corona situation in the province. 

The Chief Minister directed that the government labs should provide corona tests’ results in the minimum time and warned that no compromise will be made on the quality of tests. 

A time-frame of the corona test’s result should be fixed in labs, he directed. 

The meeting was told that an average 16,000 tests are conducted daily in the province and the capacity would be increased up to 25000 tests. 

The meeting also gave in-principle approval to give honoraria to corona labs’ staff.

The CM directed the DIG Traffic to allow trucks’ entry into the city in the morning for timely provision of oxygen cylinders to the hospitals. 

He also directed to strictly implement corona SOPs in Revenue Khidmat Open Courts as corona ratio was around 5 per cent in Punjab. 

Buzdar said that smart lockdown had been imposed in 2,016 affected areas while restricting the movement of 13,1000 inhabitants. 

The meeting gave in-principle approval to extend the employment of the consultant recruited during the first corona attack and the CM asserted that every step will be taken to overcome the second wave.  He regretted the number of corona patients had increased due to non-wearing of facemasks and emphasized that this restriction will be strictly implemented in markets.

 “Public safety is the supreme and necessary decision will be taken to ensure the safety of the citizens”, he added.

Provincial Ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Yasir Humayun, Murad Raas, SACM Firdous Ashiq Awan, ACSs of HED and Home Departments, administrative secretaries, Commissioner Lahore and expert attended the meeting while high ranking military officials, Rawalpindi and Multan Commissioners participated through the video-link.

Also , the Chief Minister on Monday approved free treatment of common patients in the emergency of social security hospitals along with industrial workers and further directed to work-out the feasible recommendations for the treatment of common patients in indoor and outdoor of such hospitals.

He issued these directions while presiding over a meeting at his office on Monday. Law Minister Raja Basharat, Labour Minister Ansar Majeed Niazi, Secretary Labour and others attended the meeting.

The CM allowed necessary amendments in the relevant rules adding that labour workers will also be given Insaf Sehat Cards. He gave in-principle approval to scrap factories’ inspection and directed the labour department to submit recommendations for the introduction of inspector- less regime as well as the self-assessment scheme. The meeting also decided to issue an Ordinance concerning the companies profits (workers participation) Amendment Bill. 

Buzdar said future appointments of Labour Inspectors will be performance-based and the rights of the labourers will be ensured while promoting the best relationship between an employer and employees.