PM: All efforts taken to provide relief to masses

Alvi urges Pakistanis to stay home, away from elderly

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the federal government is taking every effort to provide relief to the people in these testing times.

He was speaking with the ruling Pakistan Tekreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s Central vice-president and parliamentary leader of the party in the Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh, in Islamabad yesterday.

The prime minister said that the Ehsaas Cash Emergency programme is being run in the most transparent manner and on merit, whilst rising above political affiliations.

Khan said that the government is cognisant of the problems of the people.

In addition to the coronavirus pandemic, coping with the poverty is another big challenge.

The prime minister said that a strategy is being evolved keeping in view the economic difficulties of the people.

He said that the co-operation of philanthropists is also required to provide relief to the weak and poor segments of the society.

Khan said that the political leadership should play its role to motivate philanthropists to reach out the deserving families.

Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi has appealed the people to continue to follow the precautionary measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.

In a tweet yesterday, he said that the government’s decision to relax the partial lockdown has its own significance.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has urged people, who have been allowed to go out for work, to disinfect themselves thoroughly when they return home.

He further asked people who go out, to stay away from elderly people as the latter are more vulnerable to the coronavirus, which causes the Covid-19 respiratory disease.

Shah also said that the Sindh government will furnish a response to the Supreme Court in writing to explain the administration’s position on the steps taken to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

He admitted that sealing of 11 Union Councils in Karachi was a hasty step, but stressed that it was “not wrong”.

Shah recalled that he had earlier said that the government might make mistakes, but to do nothing would make matters worse.

“I request you all to please forgive our mistakes sometimes, we are working with sincerity,” he said.

He also said that the government will try to reach an agreement with religious scholars over the holding of prayer congregations in mosques.

Shah pointed out that even now, mosques are open and prayers are being held, but with restrictions on the number of people allowed to gather.

Construction sites will not be allowed to open “unless they follow SOPs (standard operating procedures)”, the chief minister warned.

He said that Prime Minister

Khan has allowed the construction industry to start operations, but only if measures are taken for the protection of employees.

Chief Minister Shah has congratulated the prime minister for bringing businessmen and industrialists on the same page over adherence to standard operating procedures.

Industries that have been allowed to operate during the lockdown are required to arrange transport for their employees and ensure that they are disinfected.

Shah has said that restrictions during the lockdown, which has been extended for the next two weeks, will be tougher than before.