Basharat urges effective implementationof Covid-19 SOPs

LAHORE:Punjab Law and Social Welfare Minister Raja Basharat has said that the only cure for the coronavirus pandemic is effective implementation of government SOPs.

Talking to the media here on Sunday, he said the prime minister was the biggest advocate of the poor man in such difficult times. He lamented the main reason for the current situation of coronavirus in the country is that the people did not take care of SOPs.

Raja Basharat said, “It is the responsibility of every citizen to take care of the safety norms laid down by the SOPs." He warned that if the people did not take care of the SOPs, they would be strictly enforced. He appealed to the people to work with the government in raising awareness for prevention from coronavirus.

Exemption of duty on paper for Quran printing lauded: The Quran Publishers Association has expressed gratitude for FBR Chairperson Nosheen Javed and former Chairman Tariq Pasha for exempting duty on imported quality paper for the holy Quran printing, terming it a good omen for the government and country. Addressing a meeting on Sunday, Quran Publishers Association President Kashif Iqbal and other office bearers said previously only six big publishers out of the total 115 registered with the Auqaf Department were importing the paper on duty rebates, but the government has now allowed duty exemption to the 109 small publishers. Kashif Iqbal said it was a historic decision which not only gave relief to the families of 109 Quran publishers but also proved to be a good omen for the nation by enabling the publishers to print the holy Quran on good quality but cheap paper.

Teachers oppose plan to amend varsities’ acts: Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) once again expressing strong concerns over, what it termed, the proposed amendments to the acts of public sector universities of Punjab, has termed the same an attack on the autonomy of universities.

In a press release, FAPUASA Punjab Chapter president Prof Dr Mumtaz Anwar warned that the university teachers from across the country would protest over the same if the government did not withdraw the proposed amendments. He said the FAPUASA would not accept the proposal to appoint retired judges or bureaucrats as heads of syndicate of the public universities. He also alleged that the government was introducing these amendments on the behest of a mafia in the higher education to deprive poor youth of affordable higher education.

PTI parliamentary party meeting: A meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentary Party Punjab will be held today (Monday) to devise a strategy regarding the budget session of the Punjab Assembly. Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar will chair the meeting.