Minister seeks opposition cooperation to contain coronavirus spread

MANSEHRA: Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Azam Khan Swati has invited the opposition parties to join hands with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government to effectively contain the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

“This is not the time to indulge in politics. Instead, we should work jointly to protect people from Covid-19,” Swati told reporters after chairing a meeting on the Covid-19 pandemic at the Circuit House here on Monday. The meeting was attended, among others, by Member National Assembly Saleh Mohammad Khan and Hazara Division Commissioner Zaheerul Islam. The participants discussed the precautionary measures being taken by the administration to contain the spread of the pandemic in eight districts of the Hazara division. The federal minister told reporters that both opposition parties and government were supposed to work for the safety of people in current Covid-19 emergency creating a better working environment instead of resorting to mudslinging. He said in order to provide better healthcare and treatment services, the government had provided surgical equipment and machinery for the Intensive Care Unit at the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital. “The people of upper parts of Hazara would benefit from this ICU unit being established at the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital,” said Swati. He said that the government had supplied personal protection equipment, medicines and other necessities to the public sector Hospitals across Hazara to cope with Covid-19 emergency situation. The federal minister said all lawmakers should identify deserving families for financial assistance under the Ehsas programme and Zakat funds. Commissioner said that cases of Covid-19 were gradually coming down in the Hazara Division because of the effective measures being taken by the government.