Proposal to reopen businesses, says C Usman Buzdar

LAHORE : Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that government is fully aware of the problems faced by labourers, therefore, the federal government is being recommended to reopen the industries and businesses.

Addressing a press conference through video link at CM’s Office on Saturday, the chief minister said Punjab government is presenting its recommendations to the federal government for relaxing the lockdown which will be decided in the meeting of the National Coordination Committee.

Usman Buzdar said, “We have requested the federal government that construction-related industries, including building and road sector, should be allowed to work. Similarly, recommendation has been presented for opening the feed industry related to the export sector. The request has been made to open power looms business and all such factories which have their own labour colonies on their premises. It has also been recommended to open the iron and steel industry as well as the home appliances industry.

The CM said that recommendations have been submitted to the federal government for opening the markets and bazaars on different days by dividing them into zones throughout the province. This decision will be taken with the consultation of district administration, traders’ unions, chambers of commerce and industry and other stakeholders.

The chief minister stated that smart sampling is being started from the six districts of the province, initially, i.e. Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Gujranwala, Gujrat and Faisalabad.

Under the smart sampling, corona tests of workers of media houses, officials of law enforcement agencies, offices of administrative officers, health workers.

The tests of TB and HIV patients, pregnant women and prisoners would also be conducted under the smart sampling. He said that sampling at a larger scale will help the government to review the spread of coronavirus in the community.

Usman Buzdar said that eight BSLIII labs have been made functional in Punjab at a cost of Rs 62 crore; now 6,000 corona tests could be conducted on a daily basis.

As many as 3700 tests were conducted the other day. There is no shortage of corona testing kits, personal protective equipment (PPE) and beds in Punjab, he added. Usman Buzdar said that daily thousands of Pakistanis are coming back from abroad through different flights and they have been properly looked after in hotels and other quarantine centres according to the SOPs. People from other provinces coming from abroad will be sent to their respective provinces from the airports after informing their provincial governments. The people from Punjab will be sent to their respective districts and will be allowed to go their homes within 48 hours if their corona test will come negative.

He said that quarantine would be allowed at homes as well after implementing the SOPs and recommendation has been presented to federal government in this regard. In response to a question, the chief minister said that instructions for holding an inquiry into alleged mismanagement in the Expo Centre Field Hospital have been given to the authorities and soon its report will be received.

The government is standing with the corona patients and no one will be allowed to misbehave with them.

The chief minister said that so far there are 6,850 confirmed corona patients in Punjab, whereas, 115 people have lost their lives due to this pandemic. He disclosed that approximately 90,000 corona tests have been conducted so far.

He said that it is a matter of satisfaction that 2,206 people have recovered and gone their homes.

He said that 90 per cent of people from devotees and Tableeghi Jamaat members who were kept in quarantine centres have also gone bank to their homes after complete recovery.

The chief minister said that under Ehaas Kafalat Programme, Rs34 billion have so far been distributed among 2.8 million families and the process of assistance is still continuing.

He said that under Insaaf Imad Package, financial assistance of Rs12,000 per family will be distributed among 2.5 million families. Moreover, under Ramzan package, financial assistance of Rs 3,000 per family will be given away to one million destitute families.

He said the lockdown has badly affected the poor, labourers and daily wager segments of society across the province and the government is fully aware of their difficulties. “We are determined to redress their grievances,” he added.

In response to a question, the CM said that meeting of Cabinet Committee for Corona Control takes place on a daily basis in which decisions are taken according to the situation. He said that an additional salary will be given to all those who are working to deal with the corona pandemic. He said, “There is a smart lockdown in Punjab and we want to alleviate the hardships of poor people , therefore, instructions have been given to launch crackdown on profiteers and hoarders in the province.

Provincial ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Aslam Iqbal also gave answer to journalist's questions.

Provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Hashim Jawan Bakht and Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, chief secretary, inspector general of police and other officers concerned were also present.