LAHORE:The cabinet committee on corona eradication which met here Thursday under the chair of Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan decided to link the Punjab Public Service Commission’s interviews with the observance of anti-coronavirus SOPs.
The decision of opening restaurants in Murree and other tourist spots in Punjab was linked with the permission of National Command & Operation Centre.
Senior Minister directed to bring ease in different sectors in the wake of prevailing situation adding that gradual easing of restrictions would be reviewed if responsible behaviour was shown.
He directed to ensure implementation of the decision of decreasing public transport fares and asked the health department to daily brief the media about the actual situation of coronavirus.
The meeting was briefed that both the health departments were given a collective corona budget of around Rs11.5 billion. The Specialised Healthcare Department released Rs960 million to hospitals; spent Rs260 million on PPE procurement along with an expenditure of Rs570 million for medicines purchase; Rs5 million to Rs100 million were released to 24 hospitals according to their needs and both the departments spent around Rs5 billion collectively.
A field hospital in Expo Centre, Lahore was set up with an amount of Rs25 million. The meeting was further told that 6,699 coronavirus patients had gone to their homes after recovery in Punjab. Around 1,073 are admitted in Specialised Healthcare Department’s hospitals while 897 coronavirus patients were under treatment in Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department’s hospitals. Along with it, 275 coronavirus patients are under treatment in various private hospitals.
Meanwhile, 1,266 are in home isolation and 65 critical patients are put on ventilators. Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department traced 17,600 social contacts and around 125,000 tests have been conducted.
Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid maintained that opposition was busy in issuing statements while the government was performing. The meeting also offered Fateha for CEO Urban Unit Khalid Sherdil. Provincial Ministers Raja Basharat, Mian Aslam Iqbal, chief secretary, IG Police and senior officials attended the meeting. High ranking military and provincial government officials participated through a video link.
Meanwhile, restaurant owners have demanded the Punjab government resume their business which was closed down due to covid-19 lockdown. The grocery stores also sought increase in business hours as they claimed suffering huge losses due to limited working hours while they did not lay-off any of their employees in the difficult time of lockdown as compared to number of industries and sector which laid-off their staff.
The representatives Amir Rafiq Qureshi of restaurants sector, super markets Ahmad Nawaz and marriage halls Mian Muhammad Ilyas Thursday called on the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) office-bearers to highlight their concern with the government. Later, they held a joint press conference with LCCI representatives, including President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Senior Vice-President Ali Hussam Asghar and Vice-President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad.
The representatives of respective sectors demanded the Punjab government resume the businesses as prolonged lockdown destroyed the businesses and now at verge of collapse.
Restaurants sector representative Amir Rafiq Qureshi said that closure of restaurants not only put investment of billions of rupees at stake but also rendered thousands of employees jobless and they are facing starvation. “Hundreds of restaurants have been closed, which cost jobs of thousands of daily-wage earners and labourers besides loss to the national exchequer”, he said adding the government allowed various other businesses to open but restaurant sector was kept closed.
The representatives of restaurants and marriage hall owners said that they were ready to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the government to contain coronavirus but businesses should be opened immediately.
President LCCI Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said that the Chamber had already taken up these issues at highest level. He said that a number of countries, including Turkey, had already opened hotel industry. “Now we have to live with coronavirus like various other diseases; therefore, government should manage and open the businesses”, he believed.
He believed that covid-19 already caused a huge loss to the country’s economy and it cannot bear more. People should take safety measures by themselves, not only to save their lives but for further ease in lockdown.
The representative of the restaurants demanded relief in rents be given to the restaurants situated at the government, semi-government’s buildings, besides utility bills of small restaurants should be waived off 100 percent and of large restaurants by 50 percent for three months. Further, the restaurants should be allowed to work from 08am to 12pm. Additionally, the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) should take association on board instead of directly raiding the restaurants, they demanded.
