Necessary steps taken to control fourth wave: Buzdar

LAHORE: All necessary steps have been taken to control fourth wave of corona, said Chief Minister Usman Buzdar while chairing the Provincial Apex Committee (PAC) meeting at CM’s office here on Saturday.

The meeting was also attended by Corps Commander Lahore Lt-Gen Muhammad Abdul Aziz, General Officer Commanding 10 Division Major General Muhammad Aniq-ur-Rehman Malik, DG Rangers Punjab Major General M Amir Majeed, Law Minister Raja Basharat, Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Home, Punjab IG, principal secretary to chief minister and senior civil and military officials.

The meeting reviewed the steps to be taken to cope with the fourth wave of corona pandemic. The meeting also reviewed the arrangements made for maintaining law and order during Muharram.

The committee vowed to use all possible resources and take necessary measures to control the fourth wave of corona. The participants of the meeting expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the Punjab government to make the lives of the citizens safe.

The meeting agreed to further expedite Corona vaccination process. It was decided in the meeting that effective measures will be taken under a joint strategy to enforce decisions taken to deal with corona including the implementation of administrative steps to ensure corona SOPs.

The military leadership reiterated to extend all out support and cooperation to the civil government to deal with corona. Corps Commander Lahore Lt-Gen Muhammad Abdul Aziz assured the military support to the civil government to deal with the fourth wave of corona and said the Punjab government has taken effective measures to curb the corona. He said the whole team of the Punjab government is struggling hard to overcome the fourth wave of the corona pandemic.

He said efforts are being made to control the fourth wave of corona and the performance of the government team led by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar is commendable.

Addressing the committee meeting, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said Pakistan Army has always stood by the nation in difficult times. He said about 20 million people in Punjab have been inoculated corona vaccine. All necessary steps have been taken and will continue to be taken in future as well to control fourth wave of the corona.

He said political and military leadership of the province will overcome the challenge through joint efforts, collective vision and effective strategies. He asserted that the government and military leadership will continue to take steps to protect the lives of people by reviewing the ground realities.

He hoped that the decisions of the meeting will yield positive results. He said 555,000 people have so far been vaccinated against corona during the last 24 hours in Punjab. He disclosed that a target has been set to inoculate vaccine to the 40pc of the population in five major cities of Punjab by 14 August. The CM stressed the citizens to inoculate themselves corona vaccine and protect themselves from corona virus.

The meeting decided to implement the plan chalked out to maintain law and order during Muharram in letter and spirit. The meeting also decided to take all possible steps to promote brotherhood and religious harmony during Muharram.

Additional contingents of police personnel will be deployed at mosques, Imambargahs and other places of worship. The law of ban on exhibiting firearms will also be enforced strictly. Code of Conduct evolved in this regard will be ensured strictly.

During the briefing, the participants of the meeting were informed that more than 84pc of the patients admitted to hospitals were those who didn’t get the corona vaccine.

The Secretary Primary and Secondary Health and the Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education briefed the participants on overall corona situation, number of patients, treatment facilities being provided in hospitals and vaccination process.