Minister calls for adopting corona precautionary measures

MANSEHRA: Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Azam Khan Swati has said that soaring cases of coronavirus in Hazara, particularly in Mansehra, were alarming for the people.

“Mansehra has witnessed a high number of deaths caused by Covid-19 in recent weeks, which is alarming for locals and could trigger more and more cases of pandemic if people doesn’t adopt precautions,” Swati told a group of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers who met him here on Saturday.

He said people were least bothered about the precautionary measures against Covid-19 pandemic. Jabran Malik, the chairman of district zakat committee, apprised Swati of the distribution of Zakat and other funds among the deserving families. “We have not only provided budget for the purchase of medicines for deserving patients to the management of King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, but also disbursed scholarship among the male and female students,” said Malik.

Teachers, students demand internet

The students and teachers on Saturday termed the provision of Internet facility to all areas a must for the success of online classes.

“Though we have been holding online classes, this system introduced because of Covid-19 emergency cannot fulfill the fundamental educational requirements, which a teacher and his students need during the regular sessions,” Brigadier (r) Abdul Hafiz, the principal of Pakistan Scouts Cadet College Batrasi, told reporters on Saturday.

Hafiz, who has served as principal at renowned educational institutions in the country including Pakistan Military Academy Kakul, said that if educational institutions were allowed to be operational under standard operating procedures, it might prove beneficial. Umar Khan Swati, the principal of Mansehra Public School and College, said that students had launched a campaign “We miss the school” to communicate their demand to the government.

“The students have to compete for admissions at professional and medical colleges and if educational institutions are not reopened for regular studies, our educational standard might be affected,” he claimed.