Pervaiz Elahi for closing campuses amid rising corona cases

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Finance Committee meeting was held under chairmanship of Punjab Assembly Speaker Ch Pervaiz Elahi which approved annual budget of financial year 2021-22 of the assembly secretariat here on Wednesday.

Keeping in view dangerous surge in third wave of corona and increasing cases in the educational institutions, Ch Pervaiz Elahi said educational institutions and private educational academies should immediately be closed down.

“Corona is spreading among children very speedily. In a recent survey it was noticed that ratio of death of children due to corona has dangerously increased. If the country’s future has to be saved then we will have to save lives of our children and youth,” the speaker said.

Unless Corona cases decrease, schools, colleges and private academies should be kept closed and such a monitoring system should be evolved which reviews the circumstances on daily basis. First, second and third waves of corona have so far taken precious lives of a large number of professors, teachers, schools staff and children. Presently examinations are being taken through online throughout the world. We should also adopt such strategy to save the future of our country, Pervaiz said.

The Finance Committee was informed that on special directions of Ch Pervaiz Elahi, Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti has saved more than Rs37.69 crore out of annual budget of financial year 2020-21, Rs 34.50 lakh have been saved on account of TA/DA and medical charges of the speaker and deputy speaker, Rs10.61 crore out of salaries and medical charges and allowances of MPAs and saving of more than Rs26.72 crore on account of the assembly secretariat operating expenses, salaries, allowances, electricity and gas bills and petrol has been effected.

The meeting was participated by Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakhat, Finance Committee members Muzaffar Ali Shaikh, Shujahat Nawaz, Raees Nabeel Ahmad, Kashif Mahmood, Mian Shafi Muhammad, Mian Tariq Abdullah, Raja Yawar Kamal Khan and Secretary Punjab Assembly Muhammad Khan Bhatti.