LAHORE - Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has urged taking measures to address the threat of coronavirus at wheat procurement centres. In a statement on Wednesday, PML-N President, having spoken to agricultural experts on issues faced by farmers’ community under these circumstances, proposed that agricultural loans of farmers with up to 12 acres of land owed to government should be deferred for a year. Ex-Chief Minister Punjab said that, around this time, massive and important exercise in the form of wheat procurement took place every year in Punjab. With Punjab leading the corona disease burden in the country, he opined, risks of its spread were quite significant. “Long queues and gatherings for the collection of Bardana at wheat procurement centres can be potential hotspots,” he observed. Therefore, he suggested that it was essential for the government to revisit the traditional system of wheat procurement from the farmers, devise new SOPs and communicate them clearly. He also expressed condolence over the demise of Dr Abul Qadir Soomro in the line of duty on account of Covid19, which was an example of how our doctors, nurses and paramedics continued to write new chapters of commitment to public service in the annals of national history. “May Allah rest his soul in peace and give patience to his family,” he prayed.