ISLAMABAD - The matter of non-uniform lockdown policy in country dominated in yesterday’s parliamentary committee on Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Expressing reservations over lack of coordination among, main opposition parties [PPP-P and PML-N] members demanded for adopting uniform lockdown policy in country to avoid further spread of deadly virus.
The provinces in the country is currently have no uniform policy of lockdown.
Except walkout of PML-N`s Mushahid Ullah from meeting as could not floor to speak, the proceedings of the committee witnessed no interruption.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi,responding to the suggestions of the Committee, said that that Leaders of the political parties, religious scholars and Ulema may come forward and help the government to devise policy for religious congregations and prayers during Ramzan. He said that the studies and the statistics project that peak corona period might coincide with the Ramzan, therefore health guidelines need to be strictly observed. He suggested that Maulana Fazal ur Rehman may graciously come forward on National media and guide the masses.
Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has urged upon all the members of the political parties to work together for a broad-based strategy to fight COVID-19. “Parliamentary representatives can bring awareness regarding this disease in their respective constituencies and there was a need to keep balance between Health issues and the economic challenges faced by the common people”, he said.
The Speaker said that only Representatives of common were capable to evolve broad based strategy. He stressed the need for a unanimous narrative to counter the corona virus pandemic. He also stressed the need for a follow-up mechanism in order to promptly get the recommendations of the Committee implemented. He therefore, constituted a Sub-Committee headed by Senator Syed Shibli Faraz with Ali Muhammad Khan, Senator Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Shahida Akthar Ali and Dr. Nosheen Hamid, Parliamentary Secretary for Health as its Members to follow-up the recommendations of the Committee.
The Minister for Health Punjab Dr. Yasmin Rashid, briefed the Committee about the number of corona virus tests conducted, patients found positive, medical facilities available in the hospitals and Isolation and quarantine Centers established in Punjab. She apprised that till date 58000 tests have been conducted out which 3721 have been diagnosed positive out of which 2100 belonged to Tableeghi Jamaat, Zayreen and Jail inmates.
She said that the quarantine and isolation facilities have been intensified in different parts of the provinces besides enhancing the present testing capacity of 3000 per day to 21000 tests per day.