PMG starts payment to pensioners at homes

LAHORE:Post Master General (PMG) has started paying monthly stipends to army and post office pensioners on their doorsteps in the province.

Imran Ahmed, Assistant Director Finance PMG, informed The News that the decision was taken to facilitate the pensioners at their homes due to coronavirus outbreak which has led to a lockdown in the country. He said the pensioners, who were given their pensions in February 2020, will be given their regular payments at their homes and teams already formed in Lahore, Kasur and Okara to distribute pension have started their field work and their performance is being directly monitored by Khalid Javed, Post Master General Central, Punjab circle Lahore.

Imran said the entire process will be completed by April 2 and if any pensioner by any reason could not get his payment he can contact at Pakistan Post helpline.

disinfection: Chief Secretary Major (r) Azam Suleman Khan has directed that cities be divided into different zones under the ongoing disinfection campaign in districts and process of cleaning and disinfecting roads, mosques and public places be completed at the earliest.

The chief secretary issued these directions while presiding over a meeting to review situation of coronavirus, establishment of field hospitals, stock position of wheat, flour, rice, disinfection drive and administrative matters in the province.

The meeting decided that strict implementation of SOPs regarding social distancing would be ensured at banks, offices, trucking points of four and grocery stores. The Commissioner briefed that spray at 372 places and washing of 236km roads had been completed in city. It was decided that disinfection cabins would be set up at all public places and fruits and vegetable markets across the province. The chief secretary ordered the officers to keep strict check on flour stocks in mills and on prices of commodities in big grocery stores.

He said that donations from philanthropists must be documented to help the poor in a transparent manner. He directed the field officers to visit jails along with police officers as part of measures to contain spread of coronavirus.

The IG Punjab said that in order to get required results, checkpoints all over the province would be made more effective. The CCPO Lahore told the meeting that during the lockdown in the city, 229 checkpoints had been set up, 56,000 persons, 45,183 cars, motorcycles, rickshaws and other vehicles were checked and warnings were issued to 53,000 persons.

About 529 cases have also been registered over violation of Section 144, he added. Lauding the chief secretary and his team on behalf of Chief Minister, Law Minister Raja Basharat said that performance of all officers was outstanding in this hour of need.