NSC meeting on corona: Public awareness of issue need of the hour, says PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday chaired a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on COVID-19.

The meeting deliberated on the measures taken so far in the light of decisions taken earlier and the line of action in the face of challenges on this count.

Minister for Religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Interior Minister Ijaz Shah, Adviser on Finance Dr. Hafeez Sheikh, Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza, Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant for Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari and others attended the meeting.

Through a video link, the chief ministers of the provinces were also present. They apprised the meeting of the situation in relation to the virus and shared proposals for combating the challenge.

The prime minister told the meeting that the government was fully aware of the seriousness of coronavirus and in this connection the need of the hour was to inform the public about the seriousness of the issue.

He emphasized that voluntary adoption of preventive measures could be crucial in checking the spread of virus. He informed the meeting that he would very soon address the nation on this issue.

Meanwhile, setting an example of precaution amid the spread of coronavirus in the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday avoided shaking hands with eminent religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil.

According to a tweet by the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Maulana Tariq Jamil led by example by taking strict precautionary measures in times of corona pandemic.

“We all need to play our role and avoid handshakes & other physical contacts to ensure public health & safety,” the tweet says. A photograph, also uploaded along with the tweet, shows the prime minister smilingly signaling the Maulana towards a sofa in his office, who is seen keeping his hands on his chest.

He is learnt to have requested the Maulana to play his role in confining religious activities. The Maulana agreed to his request to hold meetings with various religious scholars for creation of more awareness about the virus and the precautions needed to be adopted by all and sundry.