No shortage of flour, daily-use items in markets: Buzdar

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar said Thursday that there is no shortage of anything including flour and availability of daily-use items in markets will be fully ensured. While chairing a meeting about anti-coronavirus arrangements, here today, the CM said that 550 pilgrims in DG Khan Quarantine facility were being sent homes as they tested negative for coronavirus.
The chief minister directed to initiate crackdown against hoarders and profiteers as people cannot be left at their mercy. However, he directed to improve the food supply chain.
Expressing satisfaction that new testing labs will soon be made functional to provide corona test facility at the divisional level. The government has released 620 million of rupees to the health department for this purpose besides allocating three thousand beds for coronavirus patients in government hospitals, he said.
The government has further arranged 50,000 beds through mapping of hostels of different educational institutions, said Usman Buzdar. The Punjab government has also approached the federal government to start the Zakat deduction process one month earlier, he disclosed.
In the meeting, the stock and supply of essential items, as well as procurement of necessary medical equipment, was reviewed in detail. Provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Dr Yasmeen Rashid, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Chief Secretary and health secretaries attended the meeting.
The CM Usman Buzdar said the government salutes doctors, nurses and paramedics who are engaged in providing treatment facilities to coronavirus affected patients.