PESHAWAR - Advisor to CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Information Ajmal Wazir has said that North Waziristan Ghulam Khan border has been opened for commercial activities and bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the difficult situation of corona pandemic.
Briefing the media at Itlla Cell Civil Secretariat, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided to reopen the border points with Afghanistan to resume bilateral trade. He said that Torkham border in district Khyber and Ghulam khan border in North waziristan would remain open 24 hours for 6 days a week for heavy traffic for bilateral trade. He said that trade between the two countries would create employment opportunities for millions of people and resumption of trade activities would also strengthen ties between the two countries.
Ajmal Wazir said as per the instructions of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa strict implementation of SOPs at Torkham and Ghulam Khan borders would be ensured. He said a day in a week would be reserved for pedestrian movement at the border.
The Advisor condemned attack on armed forces in North Waziristan and prayed for the highest ranks of martyred Captain Sabih and Sepoy Naveed. He said that Pakistan Army has always fought against the enemy for the protection of the homeland, adding that anti-state elements could not demoralize our security forces by such heinous acts.
Regarding corona situation, the advisor said that more than 124,000 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been tested so far, while the highest number of more than 65,000 corona tests has been done only in the Public Health Laboratory of Khyber Medical University. Ajmal Wazir said that 6536 corona-infected patients have recovered so far in the province.
He said that corona patients were being treated in 241 hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where more than 5500 beds were reserved for them. He said that the number of oxygen beds in the province was 1375 and 343 ventilators were specified for corona patients out of which only 77 patients were being treated on ventilators.
The Information Advisor said that operation was also underway in the locust affected areas, in which the Relief Department, PDMA, Pakistan Army, Agriculture Department, Irrigation and concerned district administration were participating. He said that 80 teams comprising 758 personnel and 78 vehicles were engaged against locusts. Surveys and sprays are also underway in 15 locust-affected districts.
Ajmal Wazir said that survey of 48 lakh 98 thousand 670 acres of land has been completed, similarly spraying process has been completed on 59 thousand 181 acres of land. He said that action has also been taken against those creating artificial shortage of petrol and selling petrol above the official price.
He said that a total of 187 petrol pumps were raided across the province while warnings were issued to 82 pumps for violating official
official orders and fines of Rs 69,000 have been collected.
Ajmal Wazir said that Chief Minister Mehmood Khan had issued clear orders to take stern action against those involved in artificial shortage of petrol. He said there was no place for any mafia in the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan and those who created problems for the people would be dealt strictly