Governor Sarwar warns of strict lockdown if virus spreads fast

LAHORE:Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has said that Pakistan’s healthcare delivery system will have no means to bear the disease burden if coronavirus spread went out of control as in the US.

“There will be no option but to withdraw relaxations and impose strict restrictions to control the spread of coronavirus,” he said. As soon as businesses opened, the governor regretted that people came out of their homes in droves believing that the dreadful coronavirus had subsided. But actually, he said, the situation of virus spread was getting serious every passing day. He said that Pakistan’s defence was in safe hands and India would be responded in the same coin, if it dared any misadventure against Pakistan and added that the whole nation was standing with Pakistan Army. He was addressing a ceremony of 120,000 masks distribution and opening of 32 disinfection tunnels besides speaking to media persons at Hafeez Centre on Monday.

Replying to a media person’s question, the governor said the government had eased the lockdown to ensure that masses’ economic problems be mitigated but people had begun misusing the facility and coming out of their homes aimlessly. He said such lapse would lead to spread of coronavirus at dangerous level. He stressed that everyone coming out of their homes should observe SOPs in letter and spirit; otherwise, they would not only invite trouble for themselves but also infect others causing burden on the healthcare delivery system. Responding to another question, the governor said strict lockdown would immediately be imposed to save Pakistan from a bigger crisis, if the coronavirus spread saw surge during the current relaxations. He said the fight against coronavirus pandemic was not of any individual or the government alone but the whole nation.

The governor said that Indian government had become a serious threat to peace in the region and started violating ceasefire on the Line of Control as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s true face had exposed around the world. Observing that India was trying to fan war hysteria in the region, the governor reminded India of Pakistan’s response on February 27 when its air force jet tried to enter Pakistan’s territory.

He said all 220 million Pakistanis were standing alongside the Pakistan Army to give a befitting reply to its enemy. “India must stop the war hysteria and resolve Kashmir issue according to the UN resolutions and ensure due protection and basic human rights to Muslims in India.