Punjab CM Usman Buzdar opens ‘stay home, remain safe’ campaign against COVID-19

LAHORE: The Punjab government has launched a province-wide mobile awareness campaign, “stay home, remain safe” for safety from coronavirus on the instructions of Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar who inaugurated this drive at a ceremony held at CM Office on Monday.

The chief minister disclosed that this campaign was initiated in Lahore through a squad of 250 motorcycles and 50 rickshaws adding that a total of 850 motorcycles and 500 rickshaws would be engaged to create social awareness at union council level in the provincial metropolis.

This campaign will be run through 4,130 motorcycles in the province and pamphlets will be distributed about precautionary measures, he added. Usman Buzdar emphasised that today’s Pakistan requires us to remain confined to our homes and people should follow the government’s instructions for safety from coronavirus. He asserted that the government had taken every step for public safety and the challenge of coronavirus would be defeated with joint efforts. Pakistanis are a responsible nation who will fulfil their obligation of social distancing to avoid the agony of permanent parting, he added.

The ceremony was also attended by Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mussarat Jamshaid Cheema MPA, secretaries of health and information departments and others. Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) continued to provide chlorinated water for hand washing at 20 places of the provincial metropolis.

Wasa Managing Director Syed Zahid Aziz said that a detailed working plan for Agency operations had been chalked out and majority of operational staff was directed to work from home.

He said all the tube-well operators were directed to use hand sanitizers while working. He said Wasa had also distributed free-of-cost hand sanitizers among its staff members. This sanitizer was made in Wasa’s own laboratory. Meanwhile, Wasa also provided bleaching powder to the poor in selected areas. This powder was gifted to Wasa by Chinese government, said Wasa MD adding the agency also provided chlorinated water to district government for washing of roads. Wasa is also using its own machines for washing of government offices, tube-wells and other installations, he added.