CM for effective implementation of corona SOPs

LAHORE : Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid called on Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office on Thursday and briefed him about the arrangements made for dealing with the fourth wave of coronavirus.

While expressing his concern over hike in corona cases, the chief minister ordered the authorities concerned for effective implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs). He said that citizens should be more careful as infections were soaring due to non-implementation of corona SOPs.

"Public cooperation is crucial to control the spread of this virus and citizens should fully follow the guidelines," the CM said. -

CONDEMNS ATTACK: The chief minister has strongly condemned a terrorist attack on a vehicle of security forces in the Pasni area of Balochistan. He paid tributes to the martyred Captain Affan Masood and Sepoy Babar Zaman, who rendered their lives in the line of duty. The brave sons are maintaining peace with their blood and their great sacrifices will not go waste, he said. He also extended sympathies to the heirs and asserted that a handful of terrorists could not weaken the strong commitment of the nation against terrorism.

Harassment: Usman Buzdar has directed the secretary Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department to take strict action against the staff involved in harassment of a female attendant of the dialysis unit of Urology Department at Lahore General Hospital. He also sought a detailed report, saying that the victim be provided justice at every cost.

Forest: On the directions of CM the Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA) is going to develop Asia's largest Miyawaki urban forest on an area of 100 kanals in China Park near Saggian Bridge by planting 112,500 indigenous trees and shrubs.

In a statement, the CM said such urban forests would also be developed at 15 other places in the City to grow a total of 292,500 trees. Giving details, he said 58,000 trees would be planted on an area of 50 kanals in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park while another 58,000 trees would be grown on 50 kanals in Township. As many as 13,500 trees will also be planted on 12 kanals of land at Township nursery, he added. Similarly, Miyawaki urban forests will also be developed at C-Block Sabzazar, Ganj Sarkar Sabzazar, Qazafi Park Gulshan-e-Ravi, Saggian Interchange, Rustam Park Gulshan-e-Ravi, Karim Park Golbagh near Data Darbar, side 1 and 2 of Mahmood Booti, Green Town, Mustafa Bhatti Park Township, Kashmir Park and Khalid Butt Park Township, he said.

Lack of forests is resulting in environmental degradation whereas extensive tree-plantation drive by the PTI government will help overcome smog and pollution, the CM said.

The 10 billion tree tsunami programme is a game-changer initiative to make Pakistan clean and green and the government would overcome smog and environmental degradation by planting more and more trees, the chief minister concluded.