Minister stresses more cautious approach to contain coronavirus

MULTAN: Punjab Minister for Energy Dr Akhtar Malik Wednesday underlined the need for a balanced approach on allowing businesses to operate while fighting the coronavirus.Addressing a joint consultative meeting of the parliamentarians, trader bodies and administration, the minister stressed more cautious approach to defeat the pandemic.

The meeting was jointly chaired by the Minister, chief whip National Assembly Malik Amir Dogar and Multan Commissioner Multan Shan ul Haq.

The meeting was also attended by Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister Javed Akhtar Ansari, MPAs Saleem Labar, Sabeen Gull Khan, Wasif Mazhar Raan, and Qasim Langah, PTI leaders Khlid Javed Waraich and Malik Akram Kannu besides Deputy Commissioner Amir Khatak, besides traders’ representatives Khawaja Muhammad Shafique, Khawaja Suleman Siddiqui, Zafar Iqbal, Aziz Ur Rahman Ansari, Ehtasham ul Haq, Mirza Ijaz, Nadeem Qureshi, Khawaja Farooq and Khalid Mahmood Qureshi.

Dr Akhtar Malik said the whole world was facing the pandemic. He said the situation in Pakistan was clear before all where 600 patients were added to the tally in a day.

He said even the developed nations were facing problems in fighting the coronavirus. The minister said that no one could deny the importance of traders in country's economy and providing means of earning to the people.

He said proposals of the traders would be sent to provincial and federal governments, adding that the government would introduce a uniform policy regarding businesses in the country.

Commissioner Shanul Haq said livelihood of majority of the people was linked to trade activities and added that problems of livelihood and virus have to be tackled simultaneously and in a balanced way.

He said Multan was the first division where some industries were exempted from lockdown.

Chief Whip in NA Malik Amir Dogar said the government was aware of the problems arising out of the lockdown but added that traders’ cooperation was direly needed in these testing times.