CM Mahmood Khan orders district administrations to ensure lockdown, social distancing

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has urged the district administrations across to improve efforts to facilitate the public to the maximum during the ongoing coronavirus crisis along with ensuring lockdown and social distancing.

He was chairing a meeting of all the divisional commissioners through a video conference here at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Tuesday, said an official handout.

Besides Minister for Health Taimur Salim Jhagra and Chief Secretary Kazim Niaz, relevant administrative secretaries attended the meeting. The elected public representatives and deputy commissioners attended the meeting from own respective areas.

The divisional commissioners briefed the chief minister about the coronavirus-related matters including lockdown and social distancing measures, implementation of standard operating procedures, availability of edible commodities, testing and quarantine/isolation facilities.

Mahmood Khan assured that all the urgent requirements of district administrations and the frontline health workers would be met on a priority basis to enable them effectively deal with the pandemic.

He directed the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to ensure the implementation of government’s instructions on the lockdown and social distancing. He asked the officials to closely monitor the implementation of SOPs issued by the government for the essential industries and shops conditionally allowed to operate, adding that strict action should be initiated against the owners of the industries and shops who do not strictly implement the SOPs.

The chief minister directed the divisional and district administration for a regular price checking during Ramazan and to keep close eyes on the hoarders. Mahmood Khan urged upon the elected public representatives to have a close coordination with the respective district administration.

Taking notice of some public complaints, he directed the local administrations to ensure the strict implementation of safety measures and banks. He directed all the district administrations to ensure implementation of the SOPs finalized in consultation with Ulema for offering prayers in mosques during Ramazan and have a close liaison with the local Ulema in this regard.

Meanwhile, a meeting to discuss issues related to smuggling commodities of daily use to Afghanistan through untraditional routes was held here with chief minister in the chair.

Besides Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Kazim Niaz and Inspector General Police Sanaullah Abbasi, relevant civil and military officials and representatives of intelligence agencies attended the meeting. The meeting, after a threadbare discussion on various matters, decided to constitute a special task force under the chairmanship of secretary Home Department and with representation from all the relevant civil and military bodies, intelligence agencies and Customs.