Industries being allowed to reopen must implement SOPs: Chaudhry Sarwar

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has said smart lockdown’s success depends on complete implementation of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) otherwise it will cause more harm than good.

The governor said the government wanted that the economy’s wheel start moving along with proper precautions to avoid coronavirus infection. Saying that Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to transform Pakistan into a true welfare state, the governor said the government had introduced a financial support package for small businessmen and Rs12,000 for families who lost their jobs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “Poor and vulnerable families will not be left unattended during the testing times,” he said. The governor was speaking at a meeting with Forest Minister Sibtain Khan, Haji Muhammad Ramzan and others at Governor’s House on Sunday. The governor said that people were facing severe economic crisis alongside serious health issues. “Since the business community is facing serious problems in the wake of lockdown, the government is making efforts to switch towards smart lockdown. However, if the industries failed to meet the agreed upon SOPs during smart lockdown, there would be more harm than good. The industries being allowed to open up their businesses must implement the SOPs and save precious lives,” he asserted.

The governor said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan the government was taking innovative steps to help all those who had lost their jobs during the ongoing pandemic. The governor said daily wagers, workers at shops and industries could get themselves registered at a separate portal in the Ehsaas Kafalat Programme and receive Rs12,000 financial assistance. He acknowledged that daily wagers were the worst-hit segment of society and that was why they were given a package of Rs200 billion in a most transparent manner without any political discrimination.