Federal, provincial govts to successfully overcome Covid-19, says governor Imran Ismail

SUKKUR: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has said federal and all provincial governments were jointly bringing under control the Covid-19 outbreak as the global pandemic was not a matter of one party or any specific province.

Addressing a meeting of district administration here at the Shahbaz Hall and a press conference on Wednesday at the residence of local leader of PTI Mohsin Ghumman, the governor said Prime Minister Imran Khan was against complete lockdown because majority of people belonging to marginalized section of society could suffer a lot due to it. The federal government and religious scholars have agreed upon opening mosques during Ramazan under a 20-point SOP and Ulema would be responsible for adopting all precautionary measures, the governor said. He warned that if Standard Operating Procedures were not implemented, mosques could be closed.

Ismail expressed satisfaction over the performance of district administration and said with the coordinated efforts, we will overcome this pandemic. He said unprecedented Ehsaas Kafalat emergency cash programme was the outcome of the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He directed to ensure transparent distribution to minimize the sufferings of deserving during the lockdown. He also directed ensuring social distancing to protect people against catching infection. The governor also congratulated Dr. Sania Nishtar and her team on successful distribution of large amount among the deserving.

Earlier, Governor Sindh visited Ehsaas Emergency Cash Distribution Centre at Govt Girls’ Degree College Qasimabad and reviewed cash distribution process. Ismail also visited the residence of MPA Jam Khan Shoro and offered condolence on the demise of Shoro’s father and prayed for the departed soul. PTI’s parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Shaikh, Jamal Siddiqui, Sidra Imran, Bikal Ghafar and Advisor to Governor Umeed Ali Junejo also accompanied with Governor Imran Ismail on the occasion.

The Deputy Commissioner, Ghaffar Soomro, briefed the governor about arrangements made for testing and isolating those infected by coronavirus. Soomro informed the governor that 1,036 people were tested for Covid-19 and of them 201 had tested positive. The governor was informed that all the doctors, para medical staff and nurses had been provided with personal protective equipment including masks, hand gloves and sanitizers.

Meanwhile, the Director General Ehsaas Kafalat Programme, Abdul Rahim Shaikh briefed the governor that out of the 125,047 registered deserving people, 50,465 people were distributed Rs.12,000 each. He said 20 Emergency Cash Distribution Centers were functioning. Regarding distribution of ration among the poor people, the deputy commissioner informed that ration was distributed among 19,449 people in the district. He said apart from government, Inam Foundation had also distributed ration among 4,800 needy families while testing kits, 600 protective suits and 500 goggles were provided to the health department.