KP restaurants not to serve food on premises

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has asked the people to support the government’s strict decisions that have been taken to combat coronavirus and save lives in the prevailing situation.

Addressing a news conference at Chief Minister’s House here on Wednesday, he said that public support was a must to tackle the threat. He said the government would be able to overcome the challenge soon.

The chief minister was flanked by Minister for Finance Taimur Saleem Jhagra and his Advisor on Information and Public Relations Ajmal Wazir.

The chief minister said that meetings at the government departments had been banned as part of the precautionary measures. He said the government had decided to establish help desks to provide relief to the people for submitting applications and registering complaints through telephone calls. “The government officials would take immediate action on these complaints,” he promised.

Mahmood Khan said the government had earlier imposed ban on public meetings and marriage halls but now gatherings in private places and inside houses had also be banned. The chief minister said the government offices would remain closed after 12 noon on Friday while for rest of the week the routine office time would be from 10am to 4pm. He added that the medical and general stores and shops selling daily use items would remain open for 24 hours while other shops and markets would operate from 10am to 7pm.

The chief minister appealed to the people to avoid crowding the bazaars and markets. He said the government had also decided to ban visitors at the tourist sites. He said the government had already closed educational institutions, but that does not mean that the people start taking their children to parks and tourist sites.

The chief minister said the people should confine their movement and stay within their houses. He said the government had also banned getting together of more than five people in all official meetings. He proposed holding important and necessary meetings via videoconferencing.

Mahmood Khan said the offices of all provincial ministers, excluding minister for health and chief minister’s advisor for information, would remain closed. However, he said, the provincial ministers would be available by phone.

The chief minister said that restrictions had been imposed on all restaurants for serving food at their premises, but there would be no ban on home delivery and takeaway services. He said that all the banks had been directed to ensure the installation of sanitizers with every ATM machine. Besides, he said all the barbershops and beauty parlours would remain closed for 15 days.

The chief minister appealed to the Ulema and religious leaders to ensure implementation of the directives issued by the Religious Affairs Ministry at all mosques and places of worship. In this connection, he said prominent religious Ulema had issued a decree (fatwa). He also asked representatives of other religions to follow the instructions.

Mahmood Khan requested the people and the media not to spread and publish any news without getting it verified from the government-nominated official spokesperson. He said a decision has been taken to establish a quarantine centre at the Shahkas Levies Training Centre in Khyber district for Pakistanis returning from Afghanistan.

The chief minister asked the media to work as a team with the government to tackle the coronavirus issue. He said that spreading unconfirmed reports created panic and unrest. Mahmood Khan said the media should raise awareness and play its role in sensitising the people about the risks posed by COVID-19. He hoped and prayed that the crisis would be overcome with the blessings of Almighty Allah.