Opp should refrain from point-scoring: governor Sarwar

LAHORE:Suggesting the opposition to wait for the time of doing politics, Punjab Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar has said it is totally wrong if the opposition imagines that corona destruction will be damaging for the government only.

"God forbids, if the virus spreads further it will be damaging for all. Defeating coronavirus will be the victory of the government, opposition and 220 million Pakistanis," said the governor while talking to the media after the businessmen Ch Zaffar Mahmood, Shabbir Hussain and Qazi Khalid handed him over 50,000 soaps for distribution among the poor at Governor House here on Tuesday.

Sarwar Foundation Vice Chairperson Begum Perveen Sarwar was also present. Once get rid of corona crisis then do politics. The opposition must give positive input to curb corona but refrain from doing politics. Corona will continue to spread till people come out of their homes. Strict action will be taken against hoarders and no one will be spared in this regard, the governor said.

The war against corona is not the war of the government alone but of all. If people do not take corona seriously then it will be impossible to control this virus because when a person comes out of his home, he and others get more vulnerable to corona that is why the government has taken difficult decisions just to protect people from corona. Educational institutions including universities and business centres have been closed to prevent from corona and the government is still taking all necessary measures against dreadful virus, he said.

Responding to a question, the Punjab governor said no doubt, corona is spreading speedily all over the world for which it is necessary to follow the government’s advisories and guidelines to remain safe from this pandemic. Chinese instance is before us, as they succeeded in controlling corona by adopting safety measures only and people of Pakistan also have the only way of precautionary measures against corona, he said.

“I have many times mentioned that today Pakistan is faced with difficult time, therefore, the opposition should refrain from political points scoring, because this is the time to get united to defeat corona. Once we get rid of this crisis then opposition will do politic and we also do the same. But politics at this critical stage is no way in the interest of the nation and the country, he said and added that those criticising our government must observe the situation in America and other developed countries as well. To a question, Ch Sarwar said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has given a categorical message that hoarding will not be tolerated and a stern action will be taken against the hoarders.

PHC: The Punjab Healthcare Commission has directed the deputy commissioners across the province to seal all the laboratories doing the rapid tests of coronavirus.

As per Section 36 the PHC Act 2010, all the DCs have been instructed to depute officers to seal such premises of laboratories found indulgent in doing rapid tests of the coronavirus in contravention to the directions of the Commission. They have also been directed to submit the sealing reports, along with evidence, to the PHC so that further proceedings could be initiated against the violators.

It is pertinent to mention that the National Institute of Health has not recommended any immunochromatographic or serological rapid screening tests for the diagnosis of Covid-19 infections, and endorsed only PCR-based testing for the detection.

A spokesperson for the Commission said that the PHC teams had carried out special inspections of another six private hospitals, and issued directions for further improving the treatment of the Covid-19 patients.